Unexpected
by DarkSecretKeeper
Summary: Roy leaves for the North just as Riza finds out she's pregnant. Havoc steps in to care for the new baby with the help of the rest of the gang but what will happen when Roy returns after 2 years? ROYAI, slight Havocai. set after first anime so spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

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The words were caught in her throat. She stood on the platform, the world around her had faded to a dull buzz in her ears and she stood motionless letting it move consistently around her. Her large hazel eyes were fixed on his back as he plodded down the platform to a coach. Yes, Roy Mustang plodded to the train. A sign of his complete defeat, the burning pit of hopelessness he had managed to fall into.

He swung the tan duffel bag from his shoulder and onto the small platform at the back of a carriage, gripped the rails with his bare gloveless hands and pulled himself up. He hadn't noticed the blonde on the platform behind him. The long free hair, black trousers and green cardigan were not her usual attire but it was her day off. She watched him as he made his way into the carriage and heavily sat on one of the hard benches, letting the duffel bag flop to the floor beside him and turn his head to gaze blankly out of his window.

_Move, Riza! Move!_ She willed but her legs failed her. She stood rigid and silent. _He's leaving. He is actually going to fucking leave! After everything we went through...everything that happened! _It would only take a couple of long steps, her gait was pronounced as it was, she could make the carriage in a matter of moments. She could draw his attention by simply yelling his name.

But one thought stopped her. _Would he stay just for me?_ She stared at his defeated face from the far side of the platform. If she told him then he may stay just for that reason. She wasn't enough now so why would he stay for her? She didn't want him if he didn't want her. She didn't want to make him stay only to have him resent her.

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**Short and sweet to begin with but chapters will be longer in future.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Because the first chapter was so short...here's another one :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA!**

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Black Hayate's head leapt up upon hearing the key in the lock. Riza stepped inside and dropped the keys unceremoniously into the wicker basket next to the door. She walked into the kitchen, her feet dragging slightly as she walked to the kettle and flicked the switch, as if on auto-pilot. She felt something soft and wet probe her limp hand, she gazed down at Hayate's concerned face. "I couldn't do it, Boy," she said kneeling and scratching behind his ear, "I couldn't tell him about the baby."

He whined and liked her wrist, she smiled weakly at him and then stood up and poured out the boiling water into a mug. She stood there a moment, holding the steaming mug and staring at the tiles of her kitchen wall. _Should I send a letter? That's a brilliant idea, Riza. Dear Roy, How's the North? Cold enough for you? Oh by the way you bastard you knocked me up and then ran off, yours sincerely, Riza_. She sighed and sipped the tea. She knew he was a play boy, fuck and run kind of guy, but _north_? He'd never run _that_ far before. Her face faltered. She really thought he'd cared. Feeding him, caring for him, staying at his apartment to help with his nightmares, then one night he looks her right in the eyes and then leans in and kisses her.

Her eyes glazed slightly as her thoughts slipped from the present back to that night. They had been for a walk with Hayate; he'd walked her back to her place to collect some items for her room at his flat. She had been stood in front of her dresser mirror collecting her spare gun and more underwear from the top drawer when he had appeared in the mirror. The way he'd snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her closer, turning her to face him. The soft kiss had only lasted a moment; it had swiftly become more passionate, only breaking for breath or to pull an item of clothing off. They had quickly found themselves on her bed and she let her fingers linger on his chest, drinking him all in; smell, touch and taste. His hot lips had felt so good on her collar bone and even better as they, achingly slowly, made their way down between her legs.

There was a loud bark that sliced through her memories, throwing her back into the present. She glanced at Hayate who was looking at her with a mixture of pity and pleading on his canine face. She glanced at the clock, midday. Then she gasped. She hadn't fed him. "I'm so sorry boy!" she turned to the cupboard and took a tin out, pulled a draw open and began peeling open the lid. Hayate wagged his tail and let his tongue flop out as he watched his mistress reveal the dog food, would he get a chicken leg today?

The smell escaped the can and it hit Riza. She paused and stared at the brown gooey contents. The smell continued to seep through the air to her nostrils. Then she felt her legs go slightly numb, the muscles around her stomach violently contract at once and her body lurch. She clamped her hand over her mouth and rushed through the kitchen, across the hall and into the bathroom. She vomited the small breakfast she'd had before racing to the train station into the toilet and then sat shakily down against the bathroom wall, the cool tiles pressing into her hot back. Her breathing was slightly ragged and a light sheen of sweat had appeared on her brow. _Shit_, she thought and then put her face in her hands.

Hayate padded across the floor to lick her hand worriedly. She looked at him and the corner of her mouth twitched in a smile. Her hand flopped to his head and she stroked his black hair. "Mummy's alright, sweetie," she said and then tensed slightly at her choice of words. Hayate looked at her straight in her hazel eyes. She looked back at him and then glared. She withdrew her hand and resting her forehead on her fists. Hayate nudged her arm and she glanced at him. Then sighed.

"You're right," she paused and looked up at herself in the floor length bathroom mirror, "I need help."

Hayate walked proudly at his mistress's side. She wore her full uniform and her hand rested gently on her brown satchel. Soldiers saluted as she passed and she waved them off. Her hair was pulled back in its usual clip and she walked with her usual upright posture and marching gait. As she pushed back the handle and entered the office she was greeted with,"...I came too early."

Second Lieutenant Havoc and the rest of the team froze as she entered. She raised a questioning eyebrow at Havoc, "Too early, huh?" She said keeping her face straight. He took his feet of the desk and went red.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye...I...it's not..."

"As you were," she chuckled and put the satchel on the desk, Hayate taking his usual position beside it. She then turned to face the group that were all staring cautiously at her. Her brow furrowed until she realised what the problem was. She gave a small frustrated sigh, "I'm fine," she said with a little more venom than necessary, "Colonel Mus-, sorry, _enlisted man_ Mustang has gone North and whatever your thinking, stop it, I'm fine."

They all nodded and then turned in silence back to their paper work. She sat silently at her desk and looked at her paper work. She felt slightly faint; she'd already thrown up four times that morning. Hayate's head popped up and looked at her. She gave him a reassuring smile and scratched behind his ear. She stood up again after assembling the papers and rearranging the items on her desk. She turned and her eyes fell on Mustang's desk. _He's gone_. She shivered and shook her head. She straightened herself and that's when she saw her subordinates looking at her again. "Paper work!" she barked. They didn't move. She gave a frustrated sigh and opened her mouth to bark another order when Sergeant Fuery spoke.

"Lieutenant...you're crying," he whispered.

She reached up and touched her wet cheeks gently. Her breathing faltered, _oh shit, not now...not in front of the men. _Hayate whined and leapt up to his mistress's side. "You sure you're OK, Lieutenant?" mumbled Havoc through his unlit cigarette. She stood straight trying desperately to regain her composure, she was the stoic lieutenant, the perfect soldier. She did not cry.

At that moment Hayate barked at her and Falman appeared with a chair for her. She looked at him and the dog, "I'm fine, get back to work!"

"You're not fine," Havoc stated and she turned her icy hazel glare on him, "Come on, Riza," she tensed slightly when he called her by her first name whilst they were at work, "we all know you and the colonel were close."

She looked at each of them individually. They were good men, the best. All trustworthy and loyal to Mustang even though he'd abandoned them. Hayate, sensing her thoughts, nudged her hand gently. She sighed and resigned herself to the fact she was going to need help. Besides, what would they say when she began to swell like a flaming balloon? She shut her eyes and let out a long sigh turning to face Falman, "shut and lock the door," she said flatly.

He nodded, slightly shocked, and then turned to the door, shutting and locking it. He sat down at his usual spot next to Fuery and they all watched as Riza braced herself on the large office desk, facing them. She looked up at them. "The Colonel and I...we were close." _Shit, how the hell am I going to do this_? She was about to shatter any respect they had for her. The emotionless and perfect soldier was about to painted with a big black brush. She pushed off the table and stood straight in front of them, preparing for the onslaught. "We...we had a relationship...of some sort...before he left."

"We knew that, just come out with it. Rip the plaster off, as they say," moaned Havoc. He knew there was something else going on here, he could see from Riza's tense face, the strange behaviour and her nervousness that this was going to be bad. He wanted to force it out of her. If she carried on like this they could be here the rest of the morning and the new colonel was arriving early afternoon.

Riza shot him one of her famous glares, "I'm pregnant!" she suddenly yelled at him. Then paled significantly at her words and what she'd just blurted. Oh god, she'd said it out loud and she'd lost her temper. The men sat in silence all staring at her. Havoc's cigarette had hit the desk and Fuery's pen flopped out his hand. She surveyed them, knew they were all thinking bad thoughts. She couldn't stop the tears. "I'm sorry" she muttered, going to grab her satchel something caught her arm. It was Havoc's hand, he gently turned to face the room again and they all had sympathetic faces. Not one of them looked disgusted or like they had lost respect for her. Havoc broke the ensuing silence.

"A kid, eh?" he said, popping another cigarette in his mouth, "Well the kid's gonna need some role models and you're gonna need support, whether you admit it or not." The guys nodded in agreement, Fuery smiling at her, Breda and Falman with comforting looks on her faces. Hayate barked and wagged his tail. She smiled at them and pulled some tissues from her hand bag to wipe the tears away. She felt significantly better having told them her situation and even better that they had accepted it and would be helping her, but...something was wrong. There was a tense atmosphere had descended among the man and she could sense from their awkward glances that they defiantly had another opinion.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors note: Wow! Thanks for all the support it is greatly appriciated! I would love to put an ed scene in this at some point but unfortuantly he wouldn't be in Amestris at this point in time :( Anyway, on with the story...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA**

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Things had returned back to being relatively normal at the office at Central headquarters. The guys found excuses to avoid their paperwork, leaving Riza to scold them and fire warning shots into the ceiling. She slotted back into normal routine, retrieving paperwork, scolding her subordinates, shooting practise at the range and maintaining her persona as Central's ice queen. She almost forgot Roy was no longer there. _Almost_.

She was sat at her desk late one evening finishing up some last signatures and timetables. She'd taken on a new programme to train some of the younger snipers. Hayate whined next to her desk wanting to go home and have dinner. She sighed and scratched behind his ear, "not long now, boy." The she felt an odd sensation in her stomach, she rested her hand on the slight swell of her belly and took a deep breath, it happened again.

"You OK, Hawkeye?"

She glanced up to see Jean Havoc in the door way staring at her with a concerned expression, the cigarette hanging loosely from his twisted lips. She nodded and swallowed, turning her eyes back to the sheets of paper in front of her, "I think I just felt the baby kick, that's all."

His eyes widened slightly, "really? How old is it now?" He walked over and sat next to her, she didn't look up from her signatures. His gaze drifted down to the small bulge beneath her loose uniform.

"Lieutenant Havoc, I really don't think that's an appropriate way to look at a superior officer," she said sternly but her voice remained at its usual calm volume. He looked back up at her and removed the unlit fag from his mouth, tucking it behind his ear. She sighed and looked at him, her glance checking the door was shut to make sure no-one would hear them talking. "Just over 12 weeks now," she said more softly.

He grinned, "you got any of those black and white fuzzy photos yet?"

"No, my first scan is tomorrow," she turned back to the paper work, "I trust you guys can cover the morning for me while I visit the doctor?"

"Course we can, just leave it to me and the guys," then he paused slightly, watching her, "we're here for you, just like we promised."

She turned to face him again, her eyes going moist from unshed tears. She really was an emotional wreck at the moment, "it means a lot, Jean." His lips twigged in a grin as she used his first name. Then he saw her brow furrow slightly, "why are you here so late anyway? I thought you all went down the local pub when work was over?"

Havoc shrugged and leaned around the side of her desk to his, he awkwardly pulled open a drawer and withdrew a small, shiny silver lighter. "Forgot Sally" He said raising the lighter slightly.

"Sally?" she said with a slight tug of her eyebrow.

"Ex-girlfriend," he clarified, "Real hot head." She grinned slightly at the pun but then her face faltered and her hand cupped her stomach again. Havoc stopped smiling and was concerned again,

"You alright? Should I call a doctor?"

"No, Jean I'm fine," she smiled reassuringly and stood up, "It's just getting used to the baby moving."

He stood up beside her, "Here," he took some keys from the office cabinet, "I'll drive you home."

"That's not necessary, I'm pregnant not incapacitated," she growled.

He smirked, "I never said you were but it's late, dark, you live a good half hour walk away and, as you said, you're pregnant. It is my gentlemanly duty and my duty as one of your subordinates to look out for you." She opened her mouth to argue but then thought a speedy drive home would get her out of her uniform, off her feet and in a hot bath quicker.

"Fine," she picked up her satchel and they left the office.

Riza Hawkeye marched through central head quarters, Black Hayate at her side. She was making her way to the range for shooting practise before she resigned herself to the office for the rest of the afternoon. She walked into the locker room and placed her satchel in one of the grey steel lockers, she slumped the duffel bag on the bench next to her, in front of the locker, and began to get out her shooting clothes so she wouldn't mark her uniform.

"Have you seen Lieutenant Hawkeye?" came a female voice from the other side of the lockers. Riza's face shot up. Her hands stilled in mid air with a black t-shirt.

"What do you mean?" Came a slightly deeper, but no less feminine voice.

"The woman's putting on her pounds. You think she's lost it because Colonel Mustang's gone?"

There was a slight pause as her friend thought, "Maybe, the two were obviously very close. It is a shame that after everything she went through the guy just picks up and leaves." There was a creak as a locker door was pried open and then the sound of zips being torn apart.

"Yeah, must be tough," another pause, "you think she's eating because she doesn't have a purpose anymore?"

That was it, Riza couldn't take it anymore. She pulled the t-shirt roughly over her head, through the bag into the locker and slapped the door shut. Hayate yelped. She yanked the key to the quarter past position and then tugged it free of the lock. She beckoned for Hayate to follow and walked out the locker room.

She marched onto the range and pulled a rifle from the armoury and a small wooden block of extra bullets. She found a booth at the end of the range and pulled on a set of safety ear defenders. She pushed the button to send out the target, loaded her gun and began firing. Hayate had taken his usual spot, sitting quietly at the top of the range.

She fired off several rounds. Each one hitting the mark perfectly. She fired more. Again a straight shot of perfect marks. Yet it wasn't good enough. Yes, he had fucking pissed off! Yes, he'd left her without a second word. Yes, he'd put her through hell and back and then the fucker and fucking gone to the fucking north, leaving her with a fucking baby!

The gun stopped firing. She glanced at it and saw that the magazine was out of bullets. The gun had a few splotches from where her tears had fallen on it. She sucked in a deep breath and laid it on the shelf in front of her. She braced herself and concentrated on her breathing. She needed to calm down. She didn't mean those thoughts, she was just angry. Angry at him for leaving, angry at the situation, angry at her hormones...the list went on. She heaved a heavy sigh and stood up straight.

She knew this anger would pass eventually. She also knew that it was one of the various emotions that would wrack her mind over Roy's departure for the rest of the day. Ranging from guilt and anger to pure unadulterated sorrow ,as she stood in her shower at the end of the day, alone in her apartment.

She picked the gun up and walked it back to the armoury. Locking it up securely and turning towards black Hayate who was stood with his head slightly to one side, she could tell he was worried. Riza knelt in front of him and rubbed his face on either side, making his tail wag and licking her face. She laughed, "just looks like it's you and me," she sighed, "we best get back." She stood and the dog obediently followed her back to the locker rooms and then up to the office.

The new colonel was, quite frankly, absolutely lovely. He was a friend to all his subordinates whilst still commanding more respect and authority that Mustang ever did. Yes, Colonel Reynolds would smile and joke with them before encouraging them on with the 'battle against paperwork' as he called it. For Riza, this made it all the more difficult to hate him for taking Mustang's position.

It was coming up to eight thirty when she and Hayate entered the office that morning. She was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable in her uniform. It was hot, itchy and the waist band was starting to chafe at her growing abdomen. It had been 20 weeks, so she was starting to really show her condition even through the baggy uniform. Rumours had lit up around headquarters as to who the father was, most people were guessing Mustang, even though neither she nor her peers had said anything. She waddled walked, slightly awkwardly to her desk, and let out a huge sigh of relief when she thumped down into the chair at her desk.

"Ah, lieutenant Hawkeye!" came a cheery voice from behind her. Riza's eyes shot open and she stood up, briskly saluting.

"Good morning colonel!" She fought the urge to cringe from her sudden movement, her feet ached a little and she still felt queasy from breakfast.

"At ease, soldier," he grinned kindly and then moved over to sit in Havoc's chair, facing her, "I came in early so we could have a little chat."

Riza paused and frowned slightly, she moved to sit back down, "yes, sir..." she said hesitantly.

Colonel Reynolds cleared his throat and laid out some paperwork on the desk between them, "It's about your condition, lieutenant." Riza's breath hitched, _oh god, what now? _Her head began creating multiple scenarios; being decommissioned or having to put the child in care because they didn't deem her 'mothering material'. Without realising, her hand instinctively cupped her belly, the colonel noticed and smiled reassuringly, "how far are you along now? four months?"

"Um...about 20 weeks...so yes sir, about four months."

"Right, lieutenant," he picked a pen up from the pot on Havoc's desk and scribbled something on the forms. "I want to discuss your future here, if that's alright. Nothing to be worried about but, for obvious reasons, the military needs to know what you plan on doing." He gave her another grin, trying to keep her calm.

Riza nodded, taking a deep breath, "well, I'm going to keep the baby if that's what you mean," she retorted defensively. No one was taking her baby away.

"As I said Lieutenant, we just want to know your plans," he reiterated, as if reading her panicked thoughts, "Do you plan on remaining in the military after the baby is born?"

Riza sat slight stunned, she honestly hadn't considered what she'd do after the baby was born. It hadn't occurred to her whether she'd be leaving or staying in the military. All at once it hit her. How was she going to financially support a child on her own? She couldn't work AND have a career, not alone at least, maybe if she had the father to help with child care. With that thought her jaw set. Great, Mustang had fucked her up again.

Colonel Reynolds saw some of the things fly briefly through her eyes as she stared at the desk. He looked at the papaers and then back at his subordiante, deciding to take a different approach, "I know, I'll outline your options with the military and then you tell me you plans, OK?"

She nodded.

"Right," he started, "You are entitled to take paid maternity leave from eleven weeks before your official due date. In the mean time the military does have maternity uniform that we can order for you since you may not fit into the standard uniform much longer. You can have up to 52 weeks should you fell that is necessary and headquarters has a new crèche that your child can attend while you work."

Riza was shocked, she hadn't realised the military provided this kind of support for pregnant soldiers. The colonel smiled, "times are changing, lieutenant. The new government thought the military should be adapting to suit more of its female soldier's needs, since we do have quite a few of them." That was true, she could name five women off the top of her head.

She looked up at the colonel, "Thank you, sir. I would like to remain in the military after giving birth."

Riza had a long red maxi dress on and black cardigan on, and a pair of beige sandles that kept peeking out under her dress. She rarely wore dresses normally but the long loose fitting dress felt so good in the hot sun and cascading over her swollen abdomen. It was a relatively hot day in central and the park was teeming with screaming children, exasperated mothers, bees and blooming flowers. She smiled to herself as Hayate came sprinting back to her with a chewed up ball in his mouth. He dropped it at her feet and stepped back panting and wagging his tail violently.

She peered over her bump at the ball. _Damn Hayate, I'm never going to reach that_. She sighed, held her tummy and tried to lean over for it. Before she could reach it a foreign hand gripped the ball and picked it up, Hayate pranced around waiting for the stranger to fling it for him. She stood back up straight with a groan, placing her hands on her lower back. "Looked like you needed some help there," said an all to familiar voice.

Riza's lips quirked in a smile, "Thank you, Havoc. I'm not sure I would have got back up again."

Havoc chuckled and threw the ball, Hayate running off as if chasing a pot of gold across the park. He was wearing a casual red chequered shirt and a pair of jeans, his trademark cigarette in the corner of his mouth. "How have you been, we haven't seen you since you took maternity leave."

His eyes rested on her stomach and he grinned, "wow, you're getting really big."

"You saying I'm fat, Havoc?" She gave him a mock frown and narrowed her eyes.

Havoc let out a hearty laugh and gave her arm a playful punch, "still our Hawkeye I see." She smiled along with him and they began to walk back through the park together. Laughing as he told her all the antics the guys had been getting up to since she'd been gone. When he'd finished he looked over at her, she'd gone quiet and that's when he saw the tear on her cheek.

"Riza?" he sounded concerned, "are you alright?"

Riza nodded, "fine just...I'm lonely all by myself in my apartment, I struggle to get up the all the stairs to my floor and I can no longer carry all my shopping properly and ..." she sighed, "I miss everyone."

Havoc looked down, feeling guilty. It wasn't that they didn't care about Riza but things had been really busy at work. No one had had time to check on her. The colonel had them sorting out a murder investigation and there was the new recruits coming through this time of year. Hayate ran back up to them and neither of them could stop laughing at what he brought. The mutt was carrying a stick over a meter in length. This head was lopsided with the weight and he looked so proud of himself. "Oh Hayate, you stupid dog," said Riza, affectionately scratching his ear. She then looked over at Havoc, "I bought a new place."

Havoc was shocked for a moment, "really? Where abouts?"

"Near Gracia and Elysia's neighbourhood. Figured I could do with some people I knew near me and somewhere with not so many stairs."

"That sounds great," He paused and suddenly lightening struck him, "I know! When you move in we'll get all the guys around. Help prepare the place for you!"

Riza looked shocked at him and then slightly worried, "Prepare?"

"Yeah! Like Fuery can use his technical skills to baby proof the place, Breda and I will assemble the furniture, like the cot and things. I'm sure I can convince Denny and Falman to paint the nursery and Maria and Gracia can be on stand bye for aesthetic consultation!"

Riza laughed, "aesthetic consultation?"

"yeah, you know, what colors and where everything should be. Oh and for food of course, we could even have a barbecue, what you say?"

"ummm..."

"C'mon Riza, you were just complaining about being lonely! Plus in your condition, no offense, but it's going to be tough preparing all that on your own."

Riza smiled, it would be nice to have everyone around. The help would also be greatly appreciated, she wasn't about to start constructing baby furniture alone in this state, "Alright then, I move in next friday."

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**So I felt this chapter wasn't particularly great so I'm going to upload to next chapter pretty soon :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA!**

**Hi! I wasn't going to update until Sunday bbut I was quite pleased with this chapter so I thought i'd post early! Plus all your amazing reviews have spurred me on so KEEP REVIEWING! They are enormously appriciated even if it is just a really quick message. THANKYOU.**

**Apart from that please enjoy :D**

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Riza opened the last beer and placed it on a Gracia's pink plastic tray. She had a pair of scruffy trousers on and an old t-shirt, the house was a state so no need to wear anything nice. She had finally gained the keys to her house that morning and since midday there had been a constant stream of people through the door. Havoc and Breda where wrestling with the flat pack furniture, Fuery was in the living room setting up her technical equipment, Falman and Brosh had gone on a DIY errand to pick up supplies and Gracia was with her in the kitchen preparing the barbecue food.

There was a groan and then a crash behind them, both women spun around to see Maria unceremoniously drop a large box marked 'KITCHEN' on the table, "What's in here Riza? Bricks?"

Riza laughed and used a knife to cut through the cello tape on the lid, she peeled back the cardboard flaps and pulled out a large cooking pan. Maria narrowed her eyes, "Pans? All your pans are in this box!"

Before Riza could reply Havoc stumbled in from the front with a bigger box, this one had no label and he seemed to be really struggling with it. He gritted his teeth as he heaved the large container onto the kitchen table with a large 'thud'. Riza grimaced, "You need to be more careful!"

Havoc gave her a look, "Yeah, thanks Havoc for carrying my stuff into my new house," he replied sarcastically. Maria turned away from Riza to smirk at his reply and began putting pots and pans into a cupboard as Havoc contiuned, "What the hell is in here anyway?"

"Just some essentials," said Riza nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders and turning back to mixing the lamb with mint and onions to make burgers. Havoc's eyebrow twitched and he picked the knife up she'd left on the side and opened the lid of the box. When the flaps sprang apart he was confronted with an assortment of large metal boxes. His eyes suddenly widened with realisation, "Riza! Are these...are these firearms?" He asked incredulously.

Riza turned back to him, Gracia and Maria also turning to face Havoc with confused expressions. He pulled one box from the pile, he unclipped the fastening and opened the lid, revealing a large assault rifle snuggled up in foam, surrounded by various parts and accessories. Riza watched as Gracia's, Maria's and Havoc's jaws hit the floor.

"Heavens above Riza!" gasped Gracia.

"You planning a war?" questioned Maria, going over to open another metal box, revealing two silver pistols.

Riza stood straight and regarded her friends, "You all know my occupation and my hobbies, does it really surprise you I have a few weapons for practise?"

"No! I expected a couple but not a bloody armoury that could rival Central headquaters!" Blurted Havoc. At this point Breda ambled in with a skrew driver hanging limply in his hand.

"Anyone seen Hav- BLOODY HELL!" His eyes fell on the assortment of weapons on the kitchen table.

"Yes! OK! I have a few weapons!" snarled Riza, going to start packing up the metal cases and put them back into the box. A small had appeared over the wooden edge of the table. It slowly edged towards a hand gun that had been precariously placed on the side as the adults argued. Elysia's pudgy little fingers curled around the barrel. Her eyes wide as she pulled the shiny object towards her. She pulled it over the edge and down to her level, staring happily at the shiny toy she'd found.

"Mama!" She grinned happily up at Gracia and held the gun up, "Bwudy eel!" she laughed happily, trying to mimic Bread's earlier phrase.

Gracia's eyes went wide with horror and she yelped, hands flying to her mouth as she stared at her daughter. Riza was swift to react, moving to swipe the hand gun from her fingers. Elysia stood paralysed for a moment, unsure as to what she'd done wrong. "Aunty Riza?" She questioned, eyes tearing up as they darted between all the shocked adults.

Gracia knelt before her daughter and hugged her before pulling back and saying very seriously, "Those shiny things are not toys Elysia. They are very bad."

Elysia nodded, still dazed from the whole experience. "I'm sowie."

"Thats Ok, dear. Just don't do it again." Gracia gave her another hug and gently pushed her towards the door, "Why don't you go back to the garden and play with Hayate?" The group watched her trot out towards the glass doors in the living room that led to the garden.

Riza was first to break the stunned silence with a nervous smile, "Guess I'm going to have to get rid of some of these before the baby is born." She placed the gun she was holding in a case and locked it.

Havoc surveyed the large casket of cases and then leant into Breda, "God help the Chief if he ever comes back..." Riza suddenly tensed at hearing the whispered words. Sometimes she really hated having such acute senses.

"What was that Havoc?" She bit out. Her hand snaking around the box to pluck one of the pistols lying in one of the open cases.

Havoc gulped and Breda stiffened, "nothing..."

"I think the food is almost ready!" called Gracia, nervously trying to intervene before things got to nasty. Without warning Riza, spun swiftly on her heels, sun up in her hand, she moved swiftly around the table, far faster than an eight month pregnant women ever should. Havoc turned and began sprinting through the house, Riza quick on his heels.

The other's sighed at each other as desperate pleas of mercy and then blood curdling cries of vengeance could be heard through out the house. "She shouldn't be running around like that with a baby," commented Gracia.

"Try telling Riza that,"Maria chuckled and turned back to the cupboard and put the last items away, "and to be honest the comment was uncalled for. The colonel must be a sore topic for her."

Gracia nodded in agreement as Falman walked in sulkily, "I just finished painting that damn wall and now there's a bunch of bullet holes." Gracia and Maria laughed and started taking the food out on plates to the garden for the barbecue.

As Fuery, Breda, Falman and, a shaken, Havoc sipped cool beers on the patio whilst montioring the sate of the burgers, Riza, Maria and Gracia wandered up to see how the guys had done the nursery. Riza pushed the door back and gasped, the room was still thick with pain fumes but Falman and Brosh had been good with the décor.

A set of white shelves were hung above a white changing table, and Havoc had placed a load of baskets on them ready for all the baby essentials she'd acquire. The walls were a pale yellow, which matched the yellow bunny curtains on the window overlooking the garden. What caught Riza's eye though was the beautiful wooden crib that sat in the centre of the far wall. It was a rich mahogany and had a little canopy over it. The room and crib were still bare of items, and baby, but Riza began to imagine rattles and baby books, nappies and powder, a little music player by the crib and then she could almost hear the gurgling of her little baby. She couldn't help herself, it was so beautiful...so wonderful. She walked over to the chair by the cot and bawled.

Maria and Gracia stared at her in shock for a few moments and then went to her side, each kneeling and taking a hand. "Is it that bad?" asked a timid Maria. Riza shook her head, still unable to form words.

Gracia rubbed her back gently and whispered comforting words, "It's...it's so wonderful," Riza finally croaked. Gracia and Maria smiled at her and hugged her.

"It's OK, Riza, we understand," said Gracia, "It's a lot to take in."

Riza was silent for a moment, "I just wish..." she didn't finish the sentence as her throat close up. Maria squeezed her hand.

"Is it Mustang?," Maria whispered. Riza nodded. She wanted him here so bad. She wanted him to be the father, she wanted him to have painted the nursery and to have collected the crib. To have helped her with her new house. She leant into her friends and began to cry again. She hated crying, but she just couldn't help it. Nothing she said of did would stop these tears from falling down her cheeks.

There was a sudden yelp from outside that ripped through their quiet reprieve. All three women leapt up to the window to look at what the fuss was about. Havoc and Breda were trying to regain control of the barbecue as Falman and Fuery were chasing Hayate around since he'd stolen a steak. Riza chuckled, "I think we should go down and save them." Gracia and Maria merely nodded and followed there friend down stairs.

* * *

Roy's eyes flickered awake. The room was dim, just the glow of the embers keeping the encroaching darkness at bay. He heaved a sigh and swung his legs from under the blanket. The cold air instantly bit at his skin but he didn't notice. He could hear the howling of the wind and snow outside, it must have been...what? Seven thirty? He groaned and walked to the bathroom, relieving himself and then bending over the crummy sink to wash his hands. He looked up at himself, then peeled the eye patch from his face. He stared at the eyeless socket, his face devoid of emotion but his eyes filled with pain, regret and loneliness. _This is what I deserve_, he thought miserably.

He slowly and painstakingly cleared out the socket with the medical swabs he had and then applied a clean eye patch, throwing the other in the wash box along with his boxers. He walked back into the one room that made up his living quarters, over to the chest of drawers and began opening and rifling through the drawers for underwear and clean uniform. He pulled his clothes on unceremoniously, stuffed a lump of bread in his mouth and slumped down in his desk chair.

He looked at the piece of paper in front of him. It had four words written on it. It had been like that for sometime now, well since he'd arrived almost nine months ago. He picked the pen back up and it hovered hesitantly over the paper. He remained like that chewing his lip for several hours.

Occasionally he got up and paced. Then he would sit back down stare at the paper, then get back up and pace. A small smile gracing his lips when he thought of how Hawkeye would have shot him by now if they were in the office, but that made his face falter and contort in pain. He couldn't think about her. Eventually he resigned again. He picked up his large woollen trench coat, gloves and pole. He opened the door and he stepped out to start standing guard.

An icy blast leapt around the room, tickling the paper on his desk, still only four simple words written there..._Dear Riza, I'm sorry._...

* * *

Havoc burst into the waiting room, a very tired looking Fuery and Maria raised there heads to look at him, "Is she OK?" he blurted running over to them.

Maria nodded, "They just took her into delivery," she motioned over to a pair of crystal white doors, "She called me at one o'clock saying she was feeling contractions, then I called the rest of you. Falman is away and I don't know where Breda is. Obviously Gracia had to stay with Elysia."

Havoc nodded and was about to sit down with Fuery when there was a loud scream and then a moan, "I want Roy!" from the delivery room. They all looked at the floor uneasily and another scream tore through the waiting area causing Maria to flinch. Havoc glanced at the door and then put his mouth into a determined straight line, pushed up from the seat and marched towards the doors.

"Havoc! What are you-" started Maria but he didn't hear the end of her sentence as he forced his way into the room. The doctors spun around the face him, they looked shocked but he paid them no attention. His eyes fell on Riza, she was on her back staring at the ceiling, sweat beading on her forehead, she was mumbling about Roy and her fists gripping the sides of her bed. He pushed aside a nurse that had come to remove him and got to her side. He took her hand and stroked her matted hair, her eyes opened and she turned her big hazel orbs on his worried face.

"I know I'm not the chief Riza but I'm here for you so just squeeze my hand and we'll get you through this, OK?" Riza looked up at him, every emotion known to man flying through her eyes. She just nodded and as another contraction hit her she squeezed Havoc's hand so hard it made a sickening cracking noise.

He cringed but said nothing, just surreptitiously swapping his hands so she wouldn't do his right one any further damage. The doctor looked up at them, "Alright, the baby has crowned so we just need you to give one last big push, OK?" The midwife glanced at Havoc to signal he needed to help.

Havoc turned to Riza and leant in close, "Alright, Riza, we're almost there you just got to give one more huge push."

"I can't," she moaned close to tears.

"Yes you can! Come on Lieutenant!" He called as if she were on a battlefield and it was the last push out of enemy territory. She took a deep breath, screwed up her eyes and gave one last push, screaming as she did so. She then fell back exhausted and spent on the bed, breathing heavily. She remained like that for a few moments and then sat bolt upright.

"Why aren't they crying!" she called almost hysterically. The midwife smiled at her reassuringly as she held up a wiggling bloody baby and wrapped it in a blanket before placing them on their mother's chest. Riza was still breathing heavily as she gripped the little bundle close to her chest. After a few short seconds the babe began to wail. Riza grinned and began to cry with her baby.

Havoc knocked quietly on the door to Riza's room. There was no initial reply, so he slowly peeked the door open. Riza was curled up on her bed, sound asleep, her hair a halo around her tired face and snoring lightly. He walked over to the bed and then to the small plastic cot. The baby was lying wrapped up in multiple blankets, it's little hands and face scrunched up, and it was making little grunting noises and kicking it's feet feebly.

Havoc grinned at them and bent over to have a closer look, he noticed that they had a small baby blue cap on their head. "So a little boy, eh? Lets hope your not as arrogant or as a pig headed as your father, shall we?" He sheepishly pulled up a small paper bag and pulled out a little rabbit with a blue ribbon around it's neck, he placed it in the crib next to him, "There you go, now you have a friend, OK champ?"

"Thank you," came a quiet croak. Havoc turned to see Riza's eyes open and her staring at the baby. All at once they watered up and she buried her face in the pillow to hide her tears. He paled and sat down next to her.

"Riza?" he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Riza what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she mumbled defensively, "There is nothing wrong, I have a beautiful and healthy baby boy to take care of...alone..." Havoc smiled understandingly.

"You're not alone Riza, you have the best set of soldiers in the city to help take care of the squirt!

Not to mention Gracia's amazing cooking!" Riza chuckled through her tears but it faltered and

Havoc knew what was wrong, "I know Riza, it's going to be harder because he isn't here. Not necessarily taking care of him but...I guess emotionally for you but you have to believe me that it will get better, trust me I have a lot of experience in the heart break field!" He tried to make the last part light hearted and it did work to some extent. Riza offered a weak smile.

He sighed and looked back at the baby, "What you going to name him? Any ideas?"

Riza lay there thoughtfully for a moment, surveying her son, "I want his middle name to be Berthold."

"After you're father?" Havoc questioned.

Riza nodded, "He did love and care for me...he just struggled after my mother left and wasn't sure what to do with a young daughter." She smiled weakly at her father's memory, "He was a wonderful man before she died...I'm sure he was afterwards, just didn't know what to say."

Havoc nodded, "So Berthold Hawkeye?"

"Maes..." Riza muttered.

"Huh?"

"Maes Berthold Hawkeye." She confirmed.

"Sounds good," commented Havoc and then he frowned slightly, Maes and Riza had never been that close, in fact, he really annoyed her.

Riza must have seen his face or read his mind because she decided to explain her name choices, "Maes was Roy's best friend...he would want his son called Maes in his honour."

Havoc's jaw set but he didn't say anything. Riza frowned and looked up at him, "What's the matter? Don't you think it's a good name."

Havoc sighed and stood up, a hand running through his dirty hair, "It's just..."he shook his head "...I'm sorry it's not my place."

"Havoc?" she said sternly.

Havoc looked at the baby and then at her, "How can you still talk and feel about him the way you do after what he did?" he snapped.

Riza was taken aback by his comment. The normally easy going Havoc had just snapped at her...over Roy no less. "Jean, I..."

"He hasn't done a single thing for you or his son. He pissed off up north and left you in this state. He...it just makes me angry to see you so upset! And to think it was him that did it..." Havoc turned away and paced to get out some of the frustration..."It's not right."

Riza lay silently. They were soon interrupted by the piercing wail of Maes. Riza shifted back on the bed and gathered Maes into her arms. She glanced at Havoc who swiftly turned around and looked at the opposite wall while she pulled up her gown and let the child drink. "I love him..." she whispered into the room, "I just do and I can't describe it...and...and now that I've had his son...despite him not being here, I feel closer to him than ever." She swallowed and looked down at Maes, "I...I never told him..."

Havoc froze slightly, "What?"

"I never told Roy I was pregnant."

Havoc almost turned to look at her but remembered she was half naked and feeding Maes. He replied through tight lips, "You never even told him about the baby?"

"How was I suppose to Jean!" she yelled, "He was gone before I knew!"

"You should have gone and told him or at least sent a letter! Here we all were thinking he'd just up and left you with a baby and in actual fact you never even gave him a chance!"

Riza's throat went tight, "you don't understand," she croaked, "I didn't want him to stay with me just because I had a baby on the way, nor did I really feel like talking to him again after he didn't even say good bye!..even after we...made love."

"Riza...it's his son...you're denying your son a father!"

Riza stared at Maes and she was overcome with rage. "Get out." She commanded.

"w-what!"

"GET OUT!" She screamed at him, her eyes welling up and her arms tightening around Maes making him cry. Havoc went to say something but closed him mouth and walked out. She hugged Maes hard and whispered, "We're going to be OK...just us Hawkeyes."

* * *

**So say hello to Maes Berthold Hawkeye everyone! Thanks again for all the support and I hope you enjoyed it...now review...you know you want to XD**


	5. Chapter 5

**So here is a lovely shiny new chapter of unexpected hot off the press (well the proof reading press that is :D ) I'm a bit paranoid that the story is moving to slowly or it's getting boring but I really want to develop and build the current situations and emotions...plus I want a strong relationship built between Riza and Maes before Roy comes back...hope you understand and think i'm doing it OK. Roy makes another appearance here :D but not with Riza D:**

**A HUGE thank you to all reviewers: Mehb, Lilaznbabe, Murasaki-sama, little miss clueless, arcissica, RGaijin, Sapphire addict, Cashmerita, Resha Tsubaki and BlackBrightField2007! I can't stress enough how much a review means to an author! (good or helpfully critical :D )**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own FMA...**

* * *

Riza was back at work before she knew it. Colonel Reynolds was very understanding when she had to run off at the end of the day to collect Maes. At lunch times she went down to the crèche to visit him and to feed him. She wanted to breastfeed him as she felt it was better than the powder stuff many people now used. Plus, it meant she lost her baby weight a lot quicker. She went through all the ups and downs of any new mother, she panicked when he coughed for the first time, or when he wouldn't latch onto her breast. The first time she heard him sneeze she rang the doctor straight away.

She liked to sit in the chair in the nursery and just rock with him in her arms. She would gaze down at his little sleeping form, one of his hands tightly grasping her finger. A full head of hair was beginning to form, not surprisingly it was jet black and straight. His eyes were a rich mahogany, darker than hers but not as dark as Roy's had been. She found that in these moment's her mind would drift back to Roy. What he was doing and if he was happy. She got washes of guilt from the things Havoc had said. Should she have told Roy? Would it really have made any difference?

Her eyes glanced up when she felt Maes wriggle, his arms were waving around and he had a searching look in his eyes, "What do you want?" she asked softly. She'd already fed and changed him. He then he quirked his lips at her and she almost started crying when he gurgled. The little tyke had Mustang's smirk alright, whatever would she do when he got older?

His little fingers twisted in her hair and he still reached for something. She searched around the room, possibly thinking about what he could want. Then her eyes settled on the bunny with the blue ribbon. "You want your rabbit don't you?" She stood up and wandered over to the changing mat where it was lying. She picked it up and waved it in front of him and he gave her another smirk.

She sighed and walked over to his cradle and set him down gently placing the rabbit next to him and then tucking all the covers and blankets in tightly around him. "Hush, hush little baby don't you cry," she murmured to him quietly, "Momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird, and if that mocking bird don't sing," she paused and kissed his forehead as he closed his eyes and she turned on his little night light, "Momma's gonna threaten it with her assault rifle."

Riza grinned to herself and watched her son for a few more moments, her eyes trailing up to the rabbit. She sighed and then left the room. Shutting the door very softly behind her. She turned and walked down the stairs to the hall. Black Hayate sat obediently at the final step, his tail beginning to quiver with excitement as her foot hit the ground floor.

"Hey there," he scratched behind his ear, "I'm sorry you haven't had a lot of attention recently." He just tilted his head silently to give her better access to his ear. She smiled and straightened, walking into the living room, Hayate loyally at her heels. She sat down on the sofa and let Hayate leap up onto the seat beside her and rest his head in her lap. She continued stroking his head and scratching behind his ear as she glanced around the ground floor of her home.

It had changed significantly since Maes had come home from the hospital. The usually regimented throws and cushions that adorned her living room perfectly where now haphazardly strewn across various chairs and the sofa. Baby equipment, such as toys, books, nappies, powders and bottles, were placed on almost every surface in the room and there were various piles of work items that she'd lugged through the door and then deposited in a rush to feed, change or cuddle Maes.

Hayate had remained the loyal and trustworthy companion she'd always known. He was patient with the baby, never barking to loudly or chewing the various items around the floor. She grinned as she scratched his head, she was immensely grateful for his companionship. It would be so lonely with just her and the baby in this big new house.

As she let her eyes fall shut she heard a bang at the door. She sat up, instantly alert. Sniper training kicked into action, Hayate lept off her knee and trotted calmly to the door, glancing back at her to ask her what the problem was. He must have known it was someone he knew. She stood up shakily, tired from the day's strains, and put an eye to the peep hole. She gasped slightly and fetched the keys from the kitchen , then started undoing the lock. Once it was free she pulled the stiff door in to reveal Havoc and his lightly smoking cigarette leaning against the frame.

He looked at her appearance, "I didn't wake you did I?" he asked with concern lacing his voice.

She shook her head, "I just put Maes to bed and was going to just going to enjoy some of my book before bed," there was an awkward pause, "Do you want to come in?" He nodded again.

She stepped aside and he let himself into the living room sitting down on the couch but then springing up again and pacing. Hayate watched him curiously and then trotted out to the utility room to curl up in his basket. She was unnerved by his lack of...well relax. He was normally so easy going and so light hearted. He took the cigarette from his mouth and threw it into her fireplace, "I saw you at work the other day," he started.

Riza nodded, "I'm only part time at the moment. With Maes still being so young."

"Yeah, he's only...is it a month?"

"Two months," Riza corrected, "I wanted to get back to work but he's still so small and he needs a lot of attention. Plus I can't work full days if I'm only getting four hour nights." Another awkward silence descended between them. Riza shifted her standing position and Havoc continued to pace.

"He loves that rabbit you gave him...won't sleep without it."

Havoc gave her a small smile and then it faltered, "Look Riza..." He trailed off.

"Shall I put the kettle on?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'd like a cup."

She smiled at him and walked into the kitchen. She placed her kettle on the stove with a small klink and turned the gas on. It hissed and spluttered to life and began heating the water. Havoc sat at the kitchen table silently as she pulled down two mugs and plopped a tea bag in each, "Milk? Sugar?"

"No, just black thanks." She nodded and let the kettle come to the boil. When it whistled she pulled it from the stove and poured the boiling water into the mugs, then settled it back on the stove and turned the gas off. She sat down placing the mugs on the table in front of each of them. There was an ensuing silence between them.

"I'm sorry," they both suddenly blurted and then looked at each other. Riza looked down at her mug.

"You're right, I probably should have told Mustang," she whispered.

"Riza," he started, looking at her across the table, "what I said in the hospital was out of line. It's your decision whether or not you tell him. And I respect whatever decision you have made or may make."

She glanced up at him and smiled, "Thank you, Jean. I'm just not sure I want him to know. I'm not sure if it's to late. He's already missed the birth and everything."

"You say that like Maes has already grown up. So Mustang missed the birth, he still has the rest of Maes' life?"

Riza nodded and stared into her cooling tea. "I'm sorry, Jean, I don't think I'm ready for him to know, and I know that's probably a really selfish thing to think about because he is Maes' father and he deserves a father but..." she trailed off unable to comprehend what she was trying to say.

Havoc reached across the table and touched her hand reassuringly, "Riza, I understand your position, and I'm here for support."

Riza smiled at him, her eyes full of relief, "That means so much Jean." They sat talking for a few hours, just catching up on the last few weeks. Maes woke up and Riza fed him and changed him before he fell back to sleep again. It was very late before Jean got up and walked to her front door.

"Thanks for the tea."

"No problem, feel free to come over whenever you want, Jean."

He smiled at her warmly and nodded "I'll bear that in mind." He paused before continuing out the door, "there is something I need to tell you." She watched him, waiting for him to explain. He turned in the hallway and looked right at her. "Next week, I'm going north...to visit the chief."

He saw her visibly tense but she kept her eyes locked on his, "Is there any message you would like me to pass on?"

She was silent for awhile, a mental debate raging inside her. Did she send a letter with Jean explaining everything? Did she send a letter at all? "umm...just...just tell him I hope he is doing well."

Havoc couldn't keep the slightly disappointment that crept across his face, "OK, then that's what I will tell him."

"Thank you and good night."

"Good night, Riza."

* * *

Havoc pulled his coat closer around him. He hated the cold and the wind and the snow and...well everything about the north. Breda and him had left the inn about an hour ago and they were still trudging through an endless ice kingdom. Suddenly a grim shape loomed in the distance. It was tall and oblong so Havoc knew it had to be a house...a small one, "I think that's the outpost!" he screamed over the wind.

Breda squinted and then nodded, motioning his hand for them to move towards it. Havoc pulled his boots through the snow as if it were treacle until they finally reached the building. It was old and worn but solid. A single light glimmered through the misted window indicating there were occupants. Havoc sucked in a chest full of icy air and screamed over the gusts, "General? General Mustang?...Where are you? It's us!"

As he finished screaming the name there was a dull thump behind them and they both turned and narrowed their eyes against the wind. "Lieutenant Havoc, Lieutenant Breda, It's good to see you again. Thanks for coming out," came the familiar authoritative voice of their superior.

He was saluting to them and saw wearing the military issue snow gear. Havoc could tell just from his face that he wasn't the man who led them against the fuhrer just under a year ago. He was broken and defeated, clutching the pole next to him and easing through the blizzard to the ominous wooden door to the cabin.

They followed him in, easing heavy sighs of relief to be out of the knifing wind and in the warmth. The fire roared to life as Roy massaged it with a poker, spraying the room with more warmth from it's passionate kisses. Roy removed his coat and hung it on peg, moving back towards the boxes by the fire as the men sat down. His demeanour was downcast and he seemed to slump as they sat down.

It was silent for awhile, neither party knowing what to say. "Nice place, General" Breda grumbled glancing around the cabin. There was a low bed, covers and blankets sprawled over the mattress, up against the far wall, a small kitchenette in the corner with a few pots and pans waiting to be cleaned. The desk was neat, but then again he couldn't imagine the General got much paperwork up this way.

Roy moved and probed the fire again with a the metal rod beside the mantel, "You can drop the General. I'm just an enlisted man now."

They both looked at him and Havoc couldn't help himself, "Yeah that's right! Guess that means we out rank you know," he said jokily. It was an effort to cheer the man up but when Breda elbowed him he realised he'd missed the target.

Silence followed again for a few moments and Breda stared into his mug of congealing coffee, "Um...sir?" Roy's head bobbed up to look at the man, "I know it was your choice to take an out post way out in the sticks but still-"

He was cut off when Roy interjected, "I plan to do all I can for my country in my own way, end of discussion." He looked down determined to answer no more questions about his current situation. Havoc and Breda looked at him. Havoc's line went straight. He wanted to tell him so bad about Maes. The baby was a lovely little boy and he deserved his father.

Havoc closed his eyes, reaching for a cigarette – something to plug his mouth with to stop him from blurting about Riza. Roy moved forward in his seat and produced a match box, he preceded to strike the match, failing to light it.

Havoc's eyes went wide at the scene. Roy Mustang – the flame alchemist Roy Mustang – was trying to light a match – manually. "Matches?" he finally pushed out his mouth. Breda sat there looking equally stunned.

"I haven't used alchemy once since that day," Roy sat back staring at the ground, "gave that up to."

"But you're the flame alchemist, sir," Breda blurted as if reminding him to pick up the dry cleaning.

Roy persisted to stare at the ground, an even worse and sinking feeling filling his eyes, "I've tried a couple of times but every time I go to click I see all the faces of the people who have died because of my mistakes, "he reached a hand up and tapped his eye patch, "that's what this eye sees."

The men sat in silence for a little longer. Breda was not sure what to say and Havoc did not trust himself to open his mouth and not mention Maes or Riza. He'd promise he wouldn't say anything, maybe not outloud ut that look she'd given him before he'd left. He swallowed and looked back up at Mustang, "So I have a new girlfriend."

Roy smiled a little and then the conversation descended into idle mentionings of those left in Central. Roy was curious to know what was going on and what had happened to people, though he didn't ask about Riza, he didn't feel like he had a right to. Breda stuck in a couple of times, updating the man on what the council had done since they had come to power.

Eventually, the hot drinks were finished and Breda and Havoc began to pull their coats back on.

Roy walked over to the sink and deposited them on the side, ready for washing. He glanced back at the men, sad that in the next few moment's he'd be alone again. But this is what he'd chosen, so he wouldn't complain now. _If only I could tell Riza..._

He was snapped from his thoughts by Havoc, "Be seeing ya, chief"

Roy nodded and walked them to the door, slowly dragging the heavy iron bolt across to unlock it. Havoc and Breda stepped out into the howling wind without another word. They made it as far as the path on the far side of the hut before Breda looked at Havoc, "Maybe Lieutenant Hawkeye should have come to see him, she always knows how to talk to him."

Havoc chuckled slightly, "Don't kid yourself, she wouldn't come. I doubt she would want to see Mustang like that," he sighed, a hint of anger pervading his tone, "besides, I get the feeling it isn't the Lieutenant he's waiting for." Havoc turned and began to march through the snow, ignoring the whipping at his face.

Breda caught up with him, "What's up? You sound angry."

"I just don't get it," Havoc stated simply.

"Get what?"

Havoc paused and took a deep breath, "HIM!" He suddenly burst, "Yeah the guy has done some bad things but he got rid of the Fuhrer and he looked after his men whilst in Central. He's sat up torturing himself in this fucking ice box, cowering from society when Hawkeye is walking around Central with her chin up and single handedly raising an illegitimate son who is the result of fraternization!" Havoc then took a deep breath realizing he'd been on a rant. Breda watched him slightly concerned before they both headed back down to the inn without another word.

* * *

Riza was sat on Gracia's sofa sipping a steaming cup of tea. She let a satisfied grin pour over her face as the warm liquid descended her throat. "Mmmm...Gracia, that's just what I needed..." Gracia smiled holding her own cup of tea and keeping an eye on Elysia as she played with Maes on his mat. Riza sank back into the couch almost getting comfy before Maes began to cry.

Riza let out a frustrated sigh, putting the tea on the coffee table and gathering him up in her arms, "What's wrong little guy? I bet you want your nappy changing, huh?" she cooed and brought him over to the sofa. Elysia followed and wriggled up onto the sofa next to Aunty Riza so she could still watch the baby. She had been watching him with a rather confused expression on her face.

Gracia watched her daughter with an affectionate smile, "What are you thinking about, sweetheart?" She asked her daughter.

Elysia looked at her mum and then back at the baby, then up at Riza before finally looking at her mother before opening her mouth, "The baby has the same name as Daddy." It was a statement not a question and she looked very confused.

Gracia sighed, "Yes, that's because Riza decided that Maes would be a good name for the baby and because she wanted to honour Daddy's memory...do you understand?"

Elysia contemplated this for a moment before looking curiously at Riza, "Aunty Riza?"

"Yes Elysia?" Riza said looking up from cradling Maes who had now fallen asleep in her arms.

"Where did you get the baby?" Both women stopped and looked at Elysia then each other. Neither to sure how to reply.

"Well," Gracia started taking a deep breath, "when a Mummy and Daddy really love each other they have a very special kiss and a cuddle where Daddy plants a seed in Mummy, that flowers into a baby...like you." Riza watched Gracia explain, trying to hold back a giggle at the 'kiss and cuddle' comment. She smiled down at Maes, her little 'flower'.

"And then Daddy leaves?" Elysia concluded. This caught them both by shock and they stared at Elysia gob smacked.

"What makes you say that Elysia, honey?" questioned Riza, a concerned expression her face, "you know Daddy didn't want to leave you right?" Gracia had fallen silent, trying to keep the sadness from her eyes. It was obvious that the idea's Elysia was getting from her father's absent were worrying her mother.

"I know," said Elysia with a small frown, "but Daddy's have to leave."

"No they don't Elysia," Riza said, she wasn't sure what more to say, she didn't want to make it apparent that, in fact, most Daddies stayed with their families and she was the odd one out. Talk about pouring salt into a wound.

"Then where is Maes' Daddy?" Elysia's frown deepened.

Riza sat quietly staring right at Elysia with wide eyes. She could see how the child had come to the conclusion that Daddies didn't stay with Mummies, Maes was also fatherless. "Well," she started to try and explain, "Maes' Daddy had to go away on a long trip, he decided to leave. You're Daddy got taken away. There is a difference do you see? But most Daddies stay with Mummies."

Elysia scrutinised Riza, trying to comprehend what the adult had said. She turned back to her quiet mother, she then looked at the ground as if she had been scolded, "I'm sorry I spoked about Daddy, Mummy."

Gracia's eyes widened and she went over and hugged her daughter, "You can talk about Daddy as much as you want, dear. I don't mind"

"It won't make you cry?" She looked worriedly up at her mother.

Gracia smiled reassuringly, "No." Elysia nodded and hugged her mother back.

Riza smiled at them and then leaned into Elysia, "You know what I think would be really nice? If you told Maes all about Daddy and Uncle Roy? You remember Uncle Roy, right?" Elysia grinned and nodded. Riza stood up and placed Maes back on his mat, "right well I'll leave you to tell him all about it!"

The two women smiled as Elysia sat beside Maes on the mat and began to babble about her Uncle and father. Gracia sighed, "sorry about that."

Riza flapped her hand in dismisal, "Not a problem. I'm glad she likes Maes," then a wicked grin crossed her face, "Maybe this is the start of some beautiful romance?" Gracia glanced at Riza and then burst into laughter.

"You sure you're not related to Maes senior?"

"No but I think motherhood is messing with me," Riza laughed

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**Any comments will be greatly cherished and constructive critisism (if you have time) helps this story get even better...and reviews in general get it updated quicker...haha.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Terribly sorry about late update but i moved house this weekend D: STRESS Next update will be soon...hopefully next few days :)**

**AN EPIC THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS! Im sorry that I havn't gotten around to replying to all of you but Im trying...this week has just been tough with moving etc. so i will be writing replies within the next week...**

**One last thing...things in the chapter get a little...umm...heated? Not severe enough for M rating but please make sure you are old enough for T rating. :D AND the story line follows the Conquorer of Shamballa storyline a lot more from now on so there may be spoilers...  
**

**I DON'T OWN FMA...ENJOY!**

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Maes was now a year old and was becoming more trouble by the day. Now that his teeth had come through he was biting anything and everything. He wriggled on his changing mat, desperate to explore his new world. He didn't want cuddles from Mummy all the time, he wanted to crawl around and grab things, chew things, break things. There were times when Riza wondered who was worse – the baby or the dog?

It was another very sunny day on a Saturday afternoon in Central and to celebrate little Maes turning one year old Gracia, Elysia, Maria, Havoc and Riza were going to take him to the park. The blanket was laid down on the spongy grass next to the large boating lake, families could be heard screaming and splashing in the shallow waters or on the boats. Gracia let Elysia run off into the shallow waters in her little green swimming costume and bucket while Riza struggled with Maes in her lap, "Sit still, Maes!" she scolded. It was a hot day and Maes had already tried to pull his shorts and t-shirt off so she was going to let him crawl around in his nappy – but not without sun cream – much to Maes' disappointment.

He let out a little squeal and she rubbed the lotion into his belly, she smiled evilly and started tickling him gently, "see what happens when you mess with Mummy?" she teased as he wriggled away from her in giggles. Eventually he was free, he started on all fours across the blanket towards the largest picnic basket, "should have known you were after the food," Riza mused.

Havoc chuckled and pulled out some of the tupperware boxes that had been filled with fruit, sandwiches and salad. Gracia produced some cakes from her basket and they were placed on the blanket for free pickings. Maes turned and eyed the strawberries curiously, he didn't look sure and Riza smiled as he picked one up in his fist and studied it as if it were a precious jewel. He glanced around the group, watching as his mother and her friends began picking slices of fruit and popping them in their mouths. He looked back at the strawberry in question. He opened his mouth and stuffed it in, trying to copy the motion of the adults.

Unfortunately, the strawberry was to big and his mouth to small because when Riza looked, her son had a dazed and confused expression, his lips and cheeks were a brilliant red. She smiled, "Oh Maes, look at you!" she reached over and wiped his mouth with a tissue, "small bites, OK?"

He just babbled in response holding the remainder of the strawberry towards his mother. Maria went doe eyed, "He's so cute, Riza!"

"Yes, when he's behaving," she retorted taking the strawberry mush and wrapping it in a tissue, "he can be a real trouble maker." Maes ignored his mother and began to crawl off the mat, "Where do you think you're going?" Riza said, scooping him up and putting him back on the mat. He began to wriggle and started crawling adamantly off the mat. Riza once again picked him up and plopped him on the mat between the adults. He wailed and made another attempt to get off the mat and towards the lake, "Maes! No!" Riza scolded, standing to pick her son up and place him firmly on the mat so he was surrounded by adults. Maes pouted and began babbling again, trying to form a coherent sentence to tell his mother he wasn't impressed.

Havoc watched Riza scold the raven haired boy in front of her, musing quietly to himself, "not much has changed really," he mumbled.

Maes pulled himself back onto all fours and crawled over to Havoc, who was engrossed with a conversation with Gracia about something in the papers that morning. He gripped Havoc's arm and then reached up for his sleeve. Havoc turned and his eyes fell on the little guy, "Hey there champ, what you after?"

Maes babbled at him and reached another hand up so both his hands were fisted in Havoc's sleeve. Havoc watched as the little guy heaved himself up to stand on his little wobbly legs, his eyes level with Havoc's. Havoc was sat looking at him in shock. Riza gasped as she watched her son stand up for the first time, "Well done!" she cooed at him and he turned to look at her smirking before his little legs failed and he plopped down next to Havoc with a small thump.

Riza just laughed and scooped him up cuddling him, "You're such a clever boy!" Maes giggled in her arms and proceeded to grab a fist full of blonde hair and stuff it in his mouth. Havoc grinned at them and shoved the rest of his sandwich into his mouth. The lunch proceeded smoothly, Hayate pranced around the edge of the circle seeing if he could sneak a sausage sandwich while Elysia dragged Maria over to the lake to show her something she'd found. Gracia was following Maes around as he crawled around the park lawn, making sure he didn't get into any trouble. The child had a penchant for trouble even though he was only one, something Riza blamed his father for.

"Smart kid," mused Havoc. He and Riza sat side by side on the rug with the decimated picnic still in front of them. Riza leaned forward and carefully plucked the last strawberry from the Tupperware box Gracia had brought.

"Yes," she replied softly, watching Maes with a loving smile touching the corner of her mouth. There was a short pause before she finally added, "like his father."

Havoc's brow creased as he watched her, "you miss him, don't you?"

Riza gave a short harsh chuckle, "every damn day. Every time I look at Maes I think of him. Wander what he's doing and if he's OK." She paused and looked down at the rug, "and then I get angry," she whispered, "I...I hate him for doing this...I hate him for not...staying for me..." She didn't look up at Havoc, just stared intently at the rug, thumbing it with her right thumb before she gripped it with white knuckles, "what didn't I do, Jean?"

Havoc reached out and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, "nothing Riza...you didn't do anything...You did so much and he knows that, he just...he just can't live with Ish-"

"Don't give me shit about Ishbal!" she spat, looking up at him was moist and angry eyes, "We all fucked up in Ishbal but we're dealing with it! Moving on!"

"Riza..." Havoc said softly, and without thinking he lifted up a hand and laid it gently on the side of her face, cupping her cheek, "...He is dealing with it but in his own way...he needs the space and time to really reflect."

Riza sat paralysed on the rug. Havoc's thumb gently caressed her cheek and she stared at him directly, eyes slightly wide. _What is he doing!_ Her head screamed, _Havoc's hand is on my cheek...intimately_. Her breath caught but she didn't pull away, she liked it. She liked the affectionate gesture, someone was paying her some attention. She liked Havoc but not as anything more than a trusted and loyal friend, yet here he was gently touching her cheek and causing her to have butterflies. No one had looked at her that way since..._Roy._

Riza pulled away and stood up, "I...Jean..." she stammered but eventually just turned away to flee the scene. Her eyes had dulled and she had quickly reverted to her stoic lieutenant mode. She had only taken a small step off the blanket when the earth violently shook beneath her. She toppled over and Havoc quickly caught her, looking as stunned as she did. Maes and Elysia screamed and clung to their respective adult's legs.

Riza turned to soldier mode instantly, turning abruptly to Maria and Havoc, "Headquarters, now!" she commanded and the two nodded, following her swiftly out the park leaving Gracia in charge of the two children.

* * *

Riza changed into the spare uniform she kept in her locker before marching into the information centre at Central Headquarters, "What's going on?" she demanded as several lower ranking officers scurried around collecting different pieces of paper and answering various phones. There had been a larger and stronger tremor since she'd arrived and Central headquarters and several large buildings had collapsed. She pushed the thought that Maes might have been hit by one to the back of her mind and instead focused on the ensuing panic.

"There was an attack in Lior," one girl piped up, Riza took the report in her hands and began to read, "there were sightings of large suits of armour appearing from the ground. Looked to be the effect of a transmutation circle."

"Alchemy? in Lior?" the girl in front of her nodded seriously ad Riza felt her stomach sink. She swallowed hard and glanced back down at the report, "Thank you, I'll take this to the colonel."

She turned on her heel and marched back down the corridor, up two flights of stairs and into her office. The colonel's door was already open and she could hear Havoc and Breda talking. She walked in and saluted Reynolds before placing the report on his desk. All four of them were in uniform despite it being a weekend. Reynolds sat back in his chair and read the report, they all stood silently waiting for orders on what to do next. Havoc chewing on his unlit cigarette and Breda fiddling with an item in the pocket of blue trousers.

They all almost leapt out of their skin when the phone shrieked through the silence. Reynolds leant across the desk and wrapped his slender singers around the glossy wooden handle. He pulled it off the hook to silence the rings and held it cautiously to his ear, "Colonel Reynolds." He was silent for a short while and then added into the receiver, "I see, I will get my personnel on it immediately, thank you."

He hung the receiver up and looked at his three curious subordinates, "the invasion has been neutralised," he began, the three of them remained silent knowing that more was coming, "Alphonse Elric and Armstrong were on hand to sort out the situation. It appeared the suits of armour were pulled back through some sort of vortex, according to witnesses." He sighed and stood for the desk looking at them, "the higher ups think this may have something to do with the gate and they certainly do not want more of these things coming through and disturbing the peace we've been trying so hard to build."

The three of them nodded in agreement, adopting attention positions and staring intently at their colonel. Reynolds surveyed them before continuing, they were good soldiers and he enjoyed working with every single one of them, he wished he could make more of an effort to get to know them but Mustang was a hard act to follow, especially given what they'd gone through with him. He sighed, "Right," he announced, "Lieutenant Havoc: Gather as much information as you can regarding Edward Elric, I believe the two of you were close before he left, correct?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good, report back to me before 0900 hours Wednesday morning. Lieutenant Breda, I want you on the next train to Lior, go home and pack essentials, I want you to ask locals what they saw and gather any more information you can. I will ring ahead and get Armstrong to meet you at the station."

"Yes, sir!"

"Lieutenant Hawkeye," he paused before continuing with his order, "I want you to study alchemy."

Riza's eye widened and her mouth opened but her throat had gone dry..._alchemy?_

Reynolds seemed to be expecting her reaction, "You're bright Hawkeye, and we're going to need someone with a basic knowledge of alchemy to understand this, no one here is an alchemist."

"but...but couldn't we get someone in?" she pleaded. Her father had tried to teach her alchemy before he'd moved onto Roy. He'd failed miserably since she didn't have the right brain pattern to grasp the concept and use it. It had been the most depressing week of her life, not only because of the late nights her father worked her to teach her but realising she'd let him down in the one thing he'd tried to do for her.

"A transfer will take to long and we need someone now, I'm not asking you to use it, or to practise it, I just need someone with a basic understanding to give us an edge in the investigation," his lips quirked in a grin, "besides, it means you can work from home so you'll be able to keep an eye on your son."

Riza's teeth gritted, "are you making me do this because I have a baby, _sir_?"

"No _Lieutenant_, I need someone to do this. If you really don't like the idea then you and Breda can swap and you can go to Lior instead."

Riza sighed, working from home for the four days would certainly help her take care of Maes and save some much needed money on child care; keeping a house, dog and baby on a lieutenant's salary had the same strategic skills of a small invasion. She bowed her head slightly, "thank you for the consideration sir, I will report Wednesday morning with my results."

Reynolds grinned, "good. You are dismissed." The three of them clicked their heels and saluted.

"Yes, sir!" they chorused together before filing out of the office and making their way out of headquarters.

* * *

Riza was going to kill Maes. And Hayate. And the washing machine. And the mirror. She was sat at her kitchen table, it was 9pm and she was staring at a pile of think old dusty alchemy books. One was open and sprawled in front of her on a crinkled and yellowed page with scratched circles drawn on it. _I've been staring at it for over an hour and it still didn't make any fucking sense!_

Riza squeezed her eyes shut and put her head in her hands, desperately trying to drown out the sound of Maes wailing upstairs, Hayate barking to go out for potty and the washing machine squeaking because the ball bearing on the drum needed replacing. She heaved a sigh and stood up from the table. She walked over to the back door and undid the latch so Hayate could run into the garden, she then trudged up the stairs and into her son's room. Maes was up against the rails of his cot, his little face scrunched up, red and tears streaming down his face. "What is it?" she said testily to the little boy.

He seemed to calm down as soon as he saw her. His little round cheeks staring up at her wide eyed as if he was surprised to see her there. "Don't give me that look!" he hissed and roughly jerked him out of the cot and on to her hip, she knew she shouldn't be angry with him. He was a baby and didn't know any better. She sighed and gave him a weak smile as he sucked his thumb and curled up on her shoulder, "Look, Maes, Mummy has a lot of tough work to do and she needs to do it before the day after tomorrow. So she just needs you to go to sleep and dream lovely thoughts until tomorrow morning , OK?"

She rocked him gently on her hip before sitting down in the chair in the nursery and cradling him. _When did you get so big, huh?_ _I'm not going to be able to rock you like this much longer._ She felt her throat tighten and her eyes get a little sore like they normally do before you start to cry. She swallowed it all back though, babies were meant to grow up. Her only fear was not being able to protect him, it was easy as a baby. She could just carry him or put him in a play pen, or give him a lolly and a cuddle when he was crying and everything was fine. _What happens when they get to big for play pens, prams and lollies?_

Maes was soon fast asleep in her arms and she gently placed him back in the crib, kissing him gently on the fore head and pulling the soft knitted blanket over him. She left the room with the little music box by his crib playing and went back down to the kitchen, letting Hayate back in as she did. She looked at the books and sighed. _It's going to be a long night,_ she thought as she flicked the switch on the kettle so it would boil.

As she sat back down on the chair with an unceremonious thump and looked back down at the book there was a soft knock at the door. She watched as Hayate's head bobbed up from his basket in the utility room and looked quizzically at the door. She got up slowly and pulled open Maes' milk bottle cupboard and pulled out the small handgun she kept in a old powder milk tin. She walked cautiously up to the door and then undid the latch opening it slowly to peek at who was on the other side, "Havoc?"

"You going to shoot me?" he quizzed as he leant against the door frame grinning. She pulled open the door fully and clicked the safety back on the hand gun. He let out a small sigh of relief and produced a small florescent pink box, the trademark of the Central bakery. She smiled at the box and let the door swing open letting him in.

After they were both sat on the couch having finished off some frosted cupcakes, Riza leant back in the cushions and stared up at the ceiling sighing to herself.

Havoc watched her, his arms lazily stretched out along the back of the sofa, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking how many laps I'm going to have to do tomorrow before I get those cakes off my hips," she chuckled looking back at him from the ceiling, "Thank you."

"No worries," he shrugged and turned to look back at her distressed living room, "who thought babies made so much mess, eh?"

She blushed slightly when she realised the state of her home, but it was Havoc and not a stately guest so she didn't mind to much, "Yeah, all you're priorities shift. Suddenly having a spotless home isn't so important."

He nodded and they remained in a comfortable silence for a small while before Havoc broke it, "How's the alchemy coming?"

Riza winced and snorted, "What alchemy? I don't even understand the significance of the damn circle! Who the hell thinks of these things?"

Havoc laughed, "Thought you may be struggling and staying up late, hence the visit and cakes."

"Thanks, I really needed it. Any excuse to not talk to a baby or a dog."

He chuckled and patted her shoulder, "Any time Riza, any time!"

"How's the information hunting going with the Elrics?"

He grunted, "You'd be surprised how little knowledge there is but Alphonse is returning to Central in a couple of days so I'm hoping to get to talk to him. She nodded in agreement and sat back further against the cushions sliding down in her seat. Havoc watched her, he admired her. She was bringing up a kid alone and balancing a career in the military and she didn't seem to complain once. She just got on with it. Made the most of what she had. Maes was a great little kid and that was due to the devotion of the woman lying in front of him. He knew it was wrong, she was Mustang's, and always would be whether he returned or not, but he just needed to touch her. To show her that she wasn't alone and people still cared about her and supported her. It was stupid. Mustang's baby was sat upstairs for heaven's sake but he couldn't stop himself once he was in motion. He leant across the couch, cupped the side of her face and then leant in and kissed her.

Riza's eyes widened as his lips made contact with hers, but then she did something she definitely wasn't expecting. She kissed back. Before her thoughts caught up his tongue had slipped past the barriers on her soft pink lips. He tasted of tobacco, not the soft slightly musky smell of smoke Roy had but something dirtier. What was she doing? She was making out with Havoc on her sofa...and she liked it.

She liked him kissing her, his hands running up her sides and giving her breasts a very soft and taunting squeeze before they descended back down to her hips. It wasn't that she liked Havoc, not in that sense anyway, it was that he was paying attention to her. A man was touching her, caressing her, kissing her. For the last 21 months it had all been about Maes. People cooing over her belly and then cooing over the pram or cooing over him babbling on a mat. But now someone was paying attention to her and damn it felt so good to be wanted again. She'd thought that perhaps it was all over now she was a single parent but Havoc, according to his actions anyway, definitely liked her.

Before she knew it, they'd sunk back on the sofa. Their lips still locked and their legs entwined as she ran her hand up and down his chest. Her long black skirt had ridden up to her waist and one hand lustfully ran up the outside of her thigh before curving around her hip and fiddling for the zipper. Her own hands were busy on the buttons of his shirt, desperately pulling them through the holes and pushed the fabric feverishly apart. This was sex, not love making. They were both lonely and desperate and needed some form of companionship, some reason to believe they might still be desirable, hell, that they were still human and not some alien outcast of society. She broke the kiss and whimpered into his ear as his fingers deftly brushed the cotton of her knickers against her moist folds.

"Always had you pegged as a silk and lace lady," he said as he pulled his shirt off to reveal his expansive chest.

"I thought we had the priorities conversation earlier?" she shot back at him. Pulling her jumper over her head and onto the floor next to the sofa, along with her skirt, his shirt and his belt. He descended back on top of her and started trailing kisses and nibbles along her collar bone. They were both hot and wanton. Riza ran her hands through his hair and groaned as his hands ran hungrily down her sides.

She pushed him back slightly harder than she intended and pulled the fly of his trousers down, pulling the button open forcefully. As she did he looked down at her, she was cald in pale blue cotton briefs and a basic red t-shirt bra with a small stain on the left breast, obviously from Maes at some point. She finally shoved his trousers down and kicked them back so they slid off and onto the end of the sofa, he leant behind her whilst she was still sat up and fumbled with the clasp of her bra.

Just as she was reaching for the waist band of his boxers, the arousal evidently showing through the stretchy black fabric, the phone's ring sliced through the atmosphere. She almost screamed at the noise and Havoc leapt off her as if he'd been shot. They both stood there slightly dazed before she walked quietly over to the phone, steadied her breathing and picked it up, "Lieutenant Hawkeye," she said slightly unevenly into the phone.

Silence. She waited patiently in case the phone line was delayed but no response came, "hello?" she repeated slightly annoyed. She heard a ragged breath and then the dial tone cut in. She stood there looking at the receiver in her hand with a confused expression on her face.

"Who was it?" asked Havoc, he came over to her now with his trousers back on.

"I don't know they put the phone down," she answered looking at him and then his trousers and then back at him.

"Umm...I..." he stuttered, scratching the back of his head. His shirt was already slung over his left shoulder and he had placed his shoes neatly next to the couch so he could slip them on.

"It's OK," she stated for him, "you deserve better than to be used, I'm sorry, I guess I got carried away." She looked down, her cheeks blushing from embarrassment.

Havoc smiled warmly at her, "I value you to much as a friend," he walked up to her, shirt cast over his left shoulder and kissed her fore head gingerly, "You're amazing, Riza Hawkeye."

Her blush deepened as she looked at him, her hands resting limply on his wrists as his hands cupped her face. "Thank you, Jean...for everything."

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**NEVER FEAR...Roy returns next chapter...:D**

**please review...**


	7. Chapter 7

**HELLO WONDERFUL PEOPLE OF ! please please please please review...:D...pretty please**

**IMPORTANT PLEASE READ: **

**1. This chapter is besed heavily on Conqurorer (however you spell it) of Shamballa...so there will be spoilers etc. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**

**2. The first part of this chapter is a gift to Toushirou-chan because they seem so completely devastated that Roy and Riza are not together...so if you don't want to read a quick snippit of crack then please skip the italics!**

**HUGE CUDDLES AND THANK YOUS TO ALL MY REVIEWERS - YOU ARE ALL A HUGE INSPIRATION AND COURAGE BOOSTER!  
**

**Thanks all folks, enjoy!**

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_Roy rolled over restlessly in his crumpled blankets and his eyes fell on the picture next to his bed. It was of a tall blonde woman holding a small black dog and smiling into the camera with a small comfortable smile. Roy's heart leapt and he suddenly realised that he loved that woman more than anything in t he world. She was the light in his otherwise black world. Roy pulled the covers back and sprang from the bed. He needed see her again and to wrap her in his arms, he would not be happy until he was clutching Riza Hawkeye to his chest and kissing her beautiful golden hair._

_Maes and Riza were sat in the garden playing among the flowers and revelling in the sweetness of the summer day. There was a rapid and loud knock again the front door which caused mother, son and dog to pause and stare at the door. Riza gathered her son up and walked cautiously towards the door._

_The door was subjected to another round of boisterous knocking. She opened the door to reveal a tall man with an eye patch and dark hair. He gave her a weak smile and then gathered her into his arms, seemingly oblivious to the baby in her arms. They stood in silence for a moment and then both broke down clinging to one another._

"_I love you," he murmured._

"_I love you too," she answered. Maes then babbled between them and Roy pulled back long enough to look at him, a confused look plastering his features._

_Riza grinned, "This is Maes, your son...remember that night?"_

_Roy nodded and then grinned, "Hello, Maes...nice to meet you, I'm your father."_

"_Roy, I'm so glad you're back so move in with us."_

"_That sounds like a great idea."_

_And they all lived happily ever after :D_

**SEE! everything you wanted...tears, I love you's, Roy moving in and cute Maes, I hope you enjoyed it XD...OK NOW THE REAL CHAPTER...**_  
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His hand still loosely rested on the glimmering smooth handle of the phone as it rested in its cradle from where he'd thrown it down. He tried desperately to get a hold of his breathing. How could her voice do that to him? Make him lose all train of thought and start to tremble. He was ashamed, he couldn't even get a word out to her before he was forced to hang up. Why was he so scared of talking to _her_? The woman that had gone through hell and back with him, the woman who'd pulled him back from the brink on more than one occasion. The woman that had cradled him when he'd had a nightmare or when the pain in his eye had gotten to much and the pain killers were not working.

Roy pulled back from the phone and sleepily pulled a mug from the cupboard above the sink in his kitchenette. He walked over to the roaring flames of his fire and used the prong to pull the old fashioned kettle from where it was suspended above the inferno. He used a tea cloth to hold the handle as he poured a portion of the boiling liquid into his mug, then settled it cautiously on the brick platform around the fire. He hunched over on one of the boxes, pulling a blanket around his shoulders and gripping the mug to keep the cold at bay.

He stared at the flames, his head automatically doing the sums and reactions involved in the small cabin fire. He shook his head to try and rid himself of the science and alchemy that was plaguing him. The cabin was dark apart from the flickering light from the fire, the few items Roy had brought with him were scattered between his bed and desk, he rarely had visitors so he saw no need for keeping the place tidy.

His head raised from where it had been hanging from his shoulders at a harsh knock on the door. His eyebrows furrowed as he placed the mug down on the box next to him and cautiously wandered over to the door. His hand trailed along the cool metal of the bolt, curled his fingers around the end and then slipped it backwards with a loud thunk. He then twisted the handel and peered out the crack, both to protect him from the intruder and the frosty tendrils of the wind.

A man stood on the porch, his coat pulled firmly around him, scarf snaking around his head in the wind and a brown cap pulled over his eyes, "Bryan!" Roy greeted and opened trhe door further so the man could walk in from the cold.

His heavy snow boots thumped on the wooden floor boards and he flexed his hands and shoulders to encourage the blood back into his limbs, "a'right Roy?" The burly man greeted, "just bringing up the monthly essentials from the village for ya." He raised a basket and then let it drop down by the fire.

Roy smiled gratefully, "thank you, it means a lot that you'd come out here for me."

"Ah it's no trouble, can't have you starving up here can we, lad? The missus also put some tea bags and news papers in for ya. Thought you'd want to know a little of what is going on outside this damn frozen prison you seem to be inflicting on yourself." Bryan sat down in front of the fire and let his fingers splay out to drink in the warmth before he headed back to the village.

"It's all I deserve after the things I have done, Roy muttered miserably.

Bryan heaved a sigh and straightened, letting his back click and a groan escape his lips, "suit yourself, lad," he turned back to Roy and gave him a pitiful grin, "but we all deserve second chances, we're only human after all."

Roy wasn't really listening, he was already flicking through the items in the basket. There was an assortment of vegetables and fruit, tea bags, toilet paper, some meat wrapped in white paper packaging, shampoo, soap, about four newspapers, three pairs of socks and a new woollen blanket. Roy lifted his head in thanks and then something caught his eye. He reached into the basket and pulled the newspaper from its resting place on top of the pile. The headline staring his in the face. His eye scanned the greying paper and then he glanced at Bryan, "Lior?" he breathed.

"Oh yeah," said Bryan absent mindedly whilst re-wrapping his scarf around his neck, "something seems to be brewing out there, good thing we're all tucked up here away from it all, eh?"

Roy noticed Bryan's little smirk and he pulled his cap down and the gloves back on, "Yeah..." he said without really meaning it, "guess we are well out of the way." Then a smirk of his own tugged at his lips. _Crafty man_, he thought, knowing that Bryan and deliberately placed this newspaper in his basket.

"Would hate for something to happen to Central, think of how small the military barracks are there since the government took over?" Roy didn't reply as he scan read the article about Lior, his eyes widening about the details. "Anyway, I better be off, the missus will worry if I'm gone to long."

Roy nodded and gave him a small smile, "Thanks Bryan."

The man dipped his cap and then disappeared out the door and into the snow. Roy stood there for a moment contemplating the situation he'd just read. This didn't sound good. Given his limited knowledge and experience with the gate, with Edward, he knew that what ever had happened in Lior probably wasn't the end of it. If they hit Central then that would mean his men, or those who he used to be _his _men, could be at risk and he couldn't let them down the way he'd let Edward and Alphonse down.

He let the newspaper drop from his grasp as he went over to the trunk at the end of his bed. He flipped up the latches and heaved the heavy leather lid up. Inside was an assortment or worn blankets, alchemy books and other trinkets from his life in Central. He pulled apart two blankets and reached inside, pulling up a black box.

He sat on his bed and laid it on his lap. He rubbed his hands on his blue uniform trousers to rid himself of the accumulating sweat between his itching fingers. He eased off the lid and dropped it unceremoniously beside him on the sheets. His eye surveyed the contents. Two blue slides with gold stars lay in front of him, nestled next to two white gloves. This general rank slides mocked him silently as he looked at them. He couldn't march back into Central with general slides on, could he? He then let his hand pick up the white gloves, the familiar coarse material kissing his fingers and the red transmutation circle staring enticingly at him. Oh how he missed them, the smell and the power.

He dropped them as if they'd stung. No, he couldn't do this. He couldn't wear them, he wasn't even sure if he still knew how to use them. He stared at them and then his face hardened. He was going to help his...friends. He needed to do this. They were going to need help. Need an alchemist.

His face set with resolve he picked the gloves up and pulled them on without even giving himself time to reconsider. He got up and marched out the door, forgetting his coat or hat, or even to shut the door behind him, letting the wind ravish his quarters. He determinedly walked up to the fence that ran in front of the cabin and lifted his right had, glared at the post supporting the wire fence and clicked.

The post hissed and crackled and then burst into flames. Roaring before his wide awe struck eye. He'd forgotten how good he was, how good and easy this could be. Yes, he still saw those people, those Isbalans but this...this was different. He'd paid his price, desolate loneliness for almost two years and now he needed to help his friends.

He clicked again and the fire died down and dissipated in the snow. He turned on his heel and ran back to the cabin, he pulled on the remainder of his uniform, his jacket and hat. He slid a small gun into a holder on his hip and then threw open a canvas nap sack. He shoved a few essentials in and then strode towards the door.

He turned and surveyed the little cabin, his home for the last two years...but it had never really been a home. A prison or exile fit better. But he was ready now, he could face everyone...even Riza. Roy pulled the cabin door shut forcefully and then turned into the on coming blizzard, towards Central.

* * *

Maes sat in his high chair watching his mum intently and curiously. He had his thumb softly tucked into his mouth and his dark amber eyes followed her as she moved about the kitchen. He had a large dusty red book in her arms that Maes thought smelt funny and she was picking items out of the cupboards and placing them in various quantities on the table in front of him. He pulled his thumb free and asked, "Mummy, what are you doing?"

Riza glanced up from her alchemy book to look at Maes as he babbled something incoherent at her. She gave him a little grin and pecked his fore head, that was swiftly becoming covered with thick with ebony hair, "You need a hair cut little guy."

She cracked two eggs in the centre of the able and then put the book down. She reached across and pulled the note pad and pen towards her and began to copy out one of the transmutation circles she had been learning. She placed it in the centre of the table with the rest of the ingredients, glancing at Hayate who was watching sceptically from his basket. This was her third attempt. She then looked at Maes as he watched her, thumb back in his mouth. "Here goes," she said and then clapped her hands and placed them on the outer rim of the circle she'd drawn.

The circle glowed blue and the contents began to crumble and swirl around as if in a giant mixing bowl. She held her concentration even though Hayate had cowered down into his rug and Maes was giggling at the bright lights. The ingreidients then morphed into a large ball that floated momentarily and then settled on top of the paper. Once the bright lights had calmed down and the wind had died Riza let her gaze fall on her work.

Hayate barked and wagged his tail while Maes clapped appreciatively. Riza smiled at them and let herself feel proud of the perfect chocolate cake that now sat on her kitchen table. "Well...guess I got the basics sorted," she said triumphantly. She walked over to the cupboard and pulled down two pink plastic plates and knife from the drawer. She cut two slices, one bigger than the other, placing the smaller slice in front of Maes and the larger slice in front her seat. She then proceeded to cut Maes' slice into smaller chunks so it would be easier for him to shove them any where but his mouth. She took a small bit of her own cake and smiled at the moist texture, it was perfect, maybe this alchemy thing wasn't so bad.

Suddenly she heard the front door open and someone rush into the kitchen, she glanced up to see Havoc panting in her doorway and looking wide eyed in his uniform. She grinned and held up her little pink plate, "Havoc! Look what I did with alchemy!"

"That's great," he said hastily without really meaning anything, causing her to scowl, "Riza, Central is under attack."

"W-what!" she stood up from her seat and placed the cake on the side.

"We've sensed something going on, like an earthquake beneath the city, they think there's going to be another attack. You need to get to head quarters immiediatly!" Riza's eyes were wide but she had instantly switched to soldier mode.

She pulled Maes from his high chair, his chocolate stained mouth and t-shirt marking her blouse as she handed him quickly to Havoc, "watch him while I get changed."

She hurried up stairs and threw her skirt and blouse hastily on the floor, pulling her fresh uniform from the wardrobe and hastily doing up the various buttons and zips. She fixed her holster around her shoulders and checked the guns were loaded. Riza then ran back downstairs to Havoc, grabbing the baby bag from the hall and her military jaket from the peg, she scooped Maes back out of Havoc's arms, "You're taking him with you?" enquired Havoc incredulously.

Riza rolled her eyes, "I'm taking him to Gracia's...He can't stay here alone can he!" Havoc muttered something, helping her with the baby bag and Hayate's leash.

They ran down to the car that Javoc had arrived in and bundled in, Hayate was whimpering as he didn't like the way events were going. He only ever got put on his leash for one reason, Riza was leaving. Maes began to cry in Riza's arms and she couldn't get him to be quiet with any soft words and cuddles. He seemed to realise something bad was about to happen.

The car came to an abrupt stop outside Gracia's and Riza almost fell out the car as she flung open the door. Gracia had already appeared on the front steps looking concerned and Elysia clinging to her skirts worriedly. As Riza ran up the garden path the Earth suddenly rolled causing Gracia to grip the door frame and Riza to wobble precariously on her feet whilst gripping Maes. She got to Gracia and bundled him into her arms, "something is happening and we don't know what," she said with pleading eyes, "but you have to get Elysia and Maes out of here...get the next train out of Central."

"W-what? But what about you?" Gracia looked shocked as she tried to control the screaming and wriggling child in her arms.

Riza dumped the baby bag and looked regretfully at her son, "I'm sorry but I can't say much more, but this isn't going to be good and I want you, Elysia and Maes out of here before things get bad." She leant forward and gave his mop of black hair a desperate kiss, "be good now Maes." Maes looked at her and began to scream harder, holding his hands out towards her in a desperate plea for her to take him back.

Regret and saddness swelled in Riza's eyes as she felt them go moist, _I can't leave him_, she thought and almost scooped him back up if Havoc hadn't called for her from the car. She snapped out of it, this was for the best, Central needed her and Maes would be safe with Gracia. She turned to leave and marched back towards the car, it was the hardest thing she ever did. All she could hear were Maes desperate screams, "MAMA! MAMA!"

* * *

Havoc waisted no time getting them to Central headquarters. Riza raced though the halls, Reynolds had already taken control of the front, ordering sand bags to be laid down for cover. Men were running in all directions, collecting ammunition and helmets from the armoury and lining the small walls that had been hastily constructed from the sand bags outside. People were being allocated into different squads to accommodate the chain of command. They each had a duty to fulfil on the battlefield.

Riza led a small team of men, including Havoc and Breda, down to the range where she began to hand out rifles, two per person. They would be taken to the front line and distributed accordingly. She made herself busy, trying to quell Maes' calls to her from Gracia's arms. _It was for the best_.

Riza began to checking her hand guns and rifles to make sure they were loaded and working. She placed them down in front of her and re-tightened the grip of the clip in her hair, taking deep breaths to calm herself, "Ready First Lieutenant?" Came a confident voice from behind her.

She turned and saw Havoc. He had his full uniform on, a helmet and a rifle over his shoulder. His traditional cigarette lay limply between his lips and he stretched out a shiny curved helmet towards her. She took it and placed it over her hair, then holstered her guns and picked up the rifle, "ready as I'll ever be, Second Lieutenant."

"Good," he replied with a grin, "lets go see what the bastards want then." She smiled at him and, as they were about to make their way back up the stairs and to the front of head quarters, there was an almighty wail of the siren, "Looks like their here, whoever 'they' are," he muttered and glanced at her.

She nodded and her thoughts flicked back to Maes, is_ he OK? is he far enough away from all this? _She was shaken from her thoughts by a large Captain yelling at them to get a move on. Riza and Jean raced to the front of headquaters, down the stairs and threw themselves and the sandbags to avoid any incoming fire. Breda was already there, waiting for them, "tough crowd guys!" he yelled.

Riza peaked over the sandbags and levelled the rifle, her eyes widening at what she saw. An army, thousands it seemed, armoured soldiers walking right down Central high street towards the military headquarters, _what the fuck?_ She thought taking aim and hitting one squarely in the face between the narrow slits in his helmet. Havoc and Breda followed suit, hitting the armoured men in the helmet gaps and watching a small fountain on human goo spurt from them.

Riza repressed the flashbacks of Ishbal as she hit several more targets. It was hard. Every time one hit the ground another image of a child or soldier slumping to the ground hit her mind. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then took aim on another target and fired. Her marksmanship reputation not letting her down as four more of her bullets hit their targets perfectly.

The main street of Central was swiftly becoming a blood bath and an all too close reminder of Isbal. Her helmet sat snugly on her head but not even focusing intently on the enemy withdrew her thoughts from the blue corpses of fallen military personnel now lying where they once shopped and dated peacefully. As another building shook and collapsed her heart raced at the thought of Maes, Gracia and Elysia. _O please be safe...please. _Before she could stop herself the image of them lying crushed under rubble filled her pupils and she shivered, desperately fighting back the urge to run and check them._ I should have brought Maes into headquarters and hidden him..._

The ground quivered again beneath her feet and Havoc's yelp tore her back into this reality surrounding her. She glanced at them, Havoc using his eagle eyes to shoot the enemy and Breda desperately trying to reload his rifle. There was another blood curdling scream in front of her as another infantryman hit the hard pavement he'd been defending. Out of the corner of her sights she saw a flash of purple sparkles and toned flesh as Armstrong joined the fight. But so had some flying monstrous contraption. Words did not describe what Riza saw fly over Central. It was colosal and angular, charging through the skys with two pink disks that looked scarily like transmutation circles.

They were getting even closer now, she could see there lumbering movements, as if sleepwalking through this nightmare. Armstrong let off several alchemic attacks to follow the hail of gunfire from behind their temporary defences. There were startled yelps followed by several large shouts and muffled commands. Riza turned and gasped at the sight of metal men clambering down the front of headquarters. They were surrounded, severely outnumbered and running out of ammunition. Her throat closed up again at the thought of Maes, except this time it was the fear she may not see him again. The last time she had ever held her little boy was while he screamed 'mama' and cried because she was leaving him. _Oh Maes, I'm so sorry..._

There was suddenly an eruption of white light and several abhorrent enemy soldiers were swept away in an instant. Riza gasped and her eyes widened in realisation. There was only one thing in the world she could think of with that power. Fire alchemy. _Roy?_ She turned and gawped like the rest of the front line as a familiar figure arrogantly strolled through the ranks, lazily flicking his fingers down Central high street and blowing away the enemy like they were dandelion seeds on the wind.

He paused in front of them, his old group. He couldn't help but think how much they'd changed since he last saw them just under two years ago. He took a deep breath and began issuing his orders as if he'd never left. Riza watched in slight admiration, the man still hadn't lost his touch or his arrogance. He sent Havoc and Breda off and gave an assignment to Armstrong, then turned to the final soldier on the front line. His breath hitched.

Riza stood calmly at attention, a small smile tugging at her lips as she watched him affectionately. Her blood raced through her veins as his eye settle on her and she held her breath slightly, trying to think of something to say to him, "We've been waiting for you, sir," finally tumbled softly from her lips.

He gave her a heart wrenching smirk as he surveyed his dearest subordinate. His memory had failed to capture just how beautiful she was. There was so much he wanted to say to her but words and embraces would have to wait. "Thank you Lieutenant," the use of her rank silently spoke that they were to act as officers and not reunited lovers, "I'm sorry I've kept you waiting. Still ready to watch my back?"

Her only reply was the metallic click of her rifle reloading and a determined persona resonating from her eyes. He nodded and then led her off towards headquarters, they found themselves confronted at almost every step. The enemy just kept coming and soon Riza had to abandon her rifle for the pistols in her holsters. Mustang was pressed up behind her shooting flames at anything within range as she held the firearms out at arms length and shot. It felt good to be back with him, she didn't necessarily mean emotionally but they had always made a great team. Together they were putting on an impressive display of Amestris military fire power, disembowelling any enemy soldier that approached them.

Riza suddenly felt the loss of his presence beside her, it sent a shot of panic through her gut but she needed to hold position for a little longer due to the impending steps of four enemy soldiers. When she finally tore her gaze around to find him, he was throwing sparks into a large make shift balloon that was lifting him into the air. Her eyes widened and darted from him to the large flying contraction she'd seen earlier. She threw herself down the path and towards Armstrong and the others as he began to pull free of the ground, "GENERAL!" ripped from her throat as Armstrong caught her waist to stop her from reaching the balloon.

"Sorry, only space for one Lieutenant," he called down to her, one hand raised to ensure a steady stream of heat to the balloon as it rose.

"You lair!" she screamed after him as a swift thought crossed her mind as to send a few bullets through the thin fabric of the canvas. Though, given his height, the fall would do him just as much damage as the mission he had assigned himself. She tore away from Armstrong intensely irritated and immediately reloaded her pistols. "Looks like I'll be watching my own back then," she muttered and walked back towards the front lines.

* * *

**_review please...:)_**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA...if I did then certain facial hair would never exist.**

**AN: I'm ill...blocked nose, headache, sore tummy, sore throat...so I havn't proof read this due to my head hurting. Please excuse typos etc.**

**Enjoy :D**

* * *

The metal twisted and creaked as the transmutation circle began to remould the wing Edward had donated from the wreck of the air ship. The wind picked up and furiously tugged Mustang's hair as it began a swift descent. He gripped onto the small handles he had created and clung on as the wind picked up and he felt the growing presence of the ground beneath him.

On impact the entire contraption shook, skidding and sliding like a skipping stone down one of the main streets in Central. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eye shut as stones flew over the contraption and stung him. Eventually the entire thing came to a groaning halt and he lay for a few moments, eye shut and body tense, to make sure he'd really stopped. Roy slowly pried his eye open and glanced around. The street was a aisle of rubble and debris from the fright. He could already hear the rudimentary siren of emergency vehicles running around the city and the rancid stench of death creeped into his nostrils. They'd saved Amestris, but at what cost?

He slowly uncurled his aching limbs and pushed himself to his feet. The descent and 'landing' had severely messed up his uniform but at least it was still decent. He glanced around, he was in the western section of central, just off from Central library and the leisure centre. He took in a deep breath to calm his nerves, he was still shaking from his encounter with Edward. He'd lost him again.

Mustang hung his head but quickly rescheduled his thoughts when he thought of headquarters, was everyone alright? He looked back at his flying machine, and when he was certain it wasn't going to cause any hassle where it was, started in a jog back towards the main building. He wasn't as fit as he had been but he still managed to cover the distance in less than ten minutes. The men were infectiously celebrating on the steps, gripping comrades in feverish hugs and congratulating each other on their victory.

When Havoc spotted him from his smoking spot on the sandbags he called loudly, "GENERAL MUSTANG!" At this the rest of the crowd of soldiers turned in his direction and after a moments pause began to clap before finally esculating into a joyous chorus of celebratory and thankful singing.

He couldn't help but grin as they celebrated his return. He wandered up to Havoc, Breda and Falman, where they were all perched on a crumbling wall of sand bags, "Well look what the cat dragged back to Central," teased Havoc.

Mustang gave him a playful punch on the arm as Falman shook his hand in greeting and Breda gave him a small casual salute. He felt at home here, with the men he knew and trusted after a matter of moments he suddenly realised how much he had missed their company. "I see you're still the chimney I remember from the office."

"Only for you, Mustang," he blew out a tendril of smoke and stubbed the butt out, "so what brought you running back?"

"I heard you guys needed some help and I couldn't just let you screw things up again, could I?"

Once the initial reunions were done Mustang's face darkened slightly as he regarded the group of man and women in front of him now trying to clear up Cental, "Where is Lieutenant Hawkeye...I...um...needed to talk to her..."

"Oh she's gone to find Ma- OW!" started Breda before Havoc smacked him over the head.

"She's gone home," Havoc finished non-committally. Roy raised an eye brow suspiciously as he regarded his previous subordinates. He could tell instantly that they were hiding something and he wasn't sure what. Why would they hide Riza's location from him? Then his chest constricted, what if she'd gone home to check on a family she'd built whilst he was away? A husband perhaps?

He looked at Havoc slightly pleadingly, "I need to talk to her...do you know where she went?"

Havoc looked at Mustang and a stab of anger hit him, _you left her_. Riza had willingly given herself to Mustang and he left without so much as a letter, he didn't deserve to know where she'd gone and he certainly wasn't about to spill about Maes. That wasn't his duty to tell Mustang he was a delinquent father, all be it without ever realising he had a kid. The rest of the men had fallen awkwardly silent, probably all thinking the same thing regarding Maes.

"I'm going to see if they need help on the clean up," murmured Falman and scuttled off, Roy watching him with a confused expression as Fuery and Breda mumbled something similar about cleaning up and leaving. Roy began to get worried now. Something was wrong and they were not telling him.

Roy turned his critical expression on the innocently puffing Jean Havoc, a lit cigarette fuming quietly from his lips, "I won't bother asking again, no doubt you'll just give me the same answer," he waited for some kind of protest from the lieutenant but did not receive any, "Fine, I'm off to find the lieutenant." He said with a steel determination in his voice as he spun on his heel, quickly leaving before Havoc could start to protest.

Havoc watched Mustang, he felt a wave of dread pass though him. Riza was probably being reunited with Maes...the last thing she needed was a guilty Mustang waltzing into her life. She needed some space after today's events. He sighed and grabbed his uniform jacket, slinging it lazily over his shoulder as he began to walk in a separate direction to Mustang. He had the edge, he knew where Riza most likely had gone...Gracia's.

* * *

Riza had discarded her uniform jacket and was instead running frantically through the messy streets of Central in just her black polo neck and blue dress trousers. Her heart constricted painfully as she passes bloodied debris and collapsed buildings or corpses. She willed her legs to move faster and forced images of crumble buildings falling on her little boy to the back of her mind. She finally arrived at the Hughes' residence and practically threw herself at the door. Banging hysterically and calling out Maes and Gracia's, hell even Elysia's, names. There was no answer.

In her desperate and panicked state she forced open the door with the very persuasive barrel of her .45. She swept frantically through the empty halls and reception rooms before surveying the barren bedrooms. Maybe they had made it out the city? She ran back down the stairs and onto the street.

The railway station was only another ten minute run but she was already very tired from the battle and her boots were beginning to give her blisters. She fought through though, more than anything she needed Maes I her arms, she needed to hear him cry or giggle, run her fingers through his thick dark locks and kiss his pudgy round cheeks. Anything! She just needed Maes.

She rounded the corner from the main road and into the car pack before the station itself. Her breath caught in her throat as it constricted and burnt. She let out a small wail and put her hands on her head in sheer shock. The station was no longer there. Instead was a mash of steel cables, broken glass and rubble. The bent shoot of the steam engine protruded from the rubble, blackened from a high pressure explosion. There were men in blue uniforms and tattered shirts heaving debris out the way and pulling out bodies and survivors. Several people, both men and women, huddled in tears next to the rubble. Another wail cracked from her lips and she sprinted into the chaos. She began scraping and tearing at rubble, not caring that her tears were staining her cheeks or that her nails were breaking and bleeding from the shards of rock and glass. "Maes!" she called in a strangled wail, "MAES!" she called again, far more desperate now.

Her eyes scanned the mess, another person had been hauled from the rubble by the group of relief workers but still no sign of Maes, "Oh please God!" she cried, "MAES!"

* * *

Roy was slightly shocked as he walked back onto the street. Her apartment was no longer her apartment, she must have kept her telephone number when she moved because he had certainly called her whilst in the North. So she had a new home. Somewhere he didn't know, surely that was a sign? She'd moved on...Riza would never have moved without a reason. She was to practical for frivolous acts, such as moving because she didn't like the colour of the kitchen or she got bored. He stuffed his hands in his pockets feeling dejected and lost. He missed his chance. He'd been a total fool for going North, taking an action that drastic.

He heaved a sigh, intending to go back to Headquarters and help continue with the restoration when he turned the corner. Central station had been completely wiped off the map. He gasped audibly and was about to run over and help the rescue team when someone caught his eye. It was none other that Riza Hawkeye. She was scrabbling through the rubble manically. He trousers were torn and the dark polo neck was showing large sweat patched from her exertions. He'd never seen her so undone and it unnerved him. Something had to be very wrong for her to be so panic stricken.

Her hair was hanging limply and she brushed it aside limply. She'd given up scrubbing her wet cheeks due to the dirt and blood on her hands. She sat back, her chest burning and her fear rapidly encroaching on her mind. That's when she heard it. It was faint, barely a whisper on the wind but it was definatly there. A wail. She could hear a wail. A beautiful, melodic wail. She could have picked out the pitch of that cry anywhere in the world, in the darkest and busiest places, she would always recognise that wail.

Riza had never thanked whatever deity available so much for her sniper skills as she scurried across the rocks to the sound. She found a large pile of debris, constricted by a particularly large rock. She placed her ear firmly against the rock and listened closely. She could still hear the cry and it made her smile hopefully, "Maes? MAES!"

The crying inside changed pitch and this time it was joined by frantic calls of several others, including Gracia's. Her smiled widened but then she saw the rock, she tired to move it back by pressing her shoulder to it but it wouldn't budge. She glanced around, the panic gripping her again. Then it hit her...what if she used alchemy? She was still at the very beginning and she only knew the basics of the basics but she had to give it a try. They were desperate. People in there, including Maes, might need medical attention.

"Riza?" Roy called attentively, as he approached her. He didn't want to startle her, not in this condition anyway. "RIZA!" he tried again, only louder this time and she did turn in his direction. She was crouched against a very big lump of twisted rubble and steel. Her large amber eyes and dirty face settled on him. Her eyes widened and she suddenly sprang to her feet and began to unsteadily runn towards him. She tripped once scrapping her knee but she barely seemed to notice.

She hit him with such force that he struggled to maintain balance. She ripped at his uniform jacket a distant look of determination and fear etched on her face. "Riza, what ar-" he was cut off when she growled at him lowly and finally seemed to find what she was searching for.

Riza yanked the chalk he kept in his breast pocket and gripped it tightly in her sweaty and bloody palm. She stumbled back across the rocks, Roy following her curiously, towards the boulder. She fell to her knees muttering, still ignoring his presence behind her. His eyes grew wide as she began to sketch a circle on the stone. The circle was very basic and missing a few key lines but Riza was definitely attempting alchemy. Before she could tap the sides he quickly grabbed her wrist. She glared at him, a glare that would have previously paralysed him with fear, and went to shove him out the way. He was stopping her from reaching Maes. _How dare he!_

"Wait!" he said, trying to keep her calm. He'd never seen her so out of control, so racked with desperation that she was almost blindly stumbling through the situation, "the circle is wrong and to weak for this transmutation. Let me." He held out his palm calmly for the chalk, almost as if cajoling a small child to come out of a hiding place. She hesitated and glanced at his palm and then at the chalk before laying it in his hand. He nodded thanks and then began adjusting the circle on the rock.

He added two extra lines and removed another before kneeling and tapping the outer circle with his calloused finger tips. Riza sat watching him intently, as if he were a high security prisoner that needed to be controlled and monitored. Her sniper eyes were not going to miss a detail of his movements and she could feel the ache in her arms to encase Maes close to her chest and suck in his smell. In these moments, the man before her was not Roy Mustang. This was not the father of her illegitimate son or the man she'd loved and followed religiously for entire adult life. This was a tool, something to help her reach Maes. It was all about Maes.

The rock groaned and fractured. Hair thin crevasses streaking out in a complex spider web over its geological plains. In a flash of blue light, that seemed to last hours to Riza, the rock transformed into a plain arch, flooding the small cave within in light.

Gracia was the first to emerge, she was holding her right arm, it was slightly bloody and lay limply at her side. She was covered in a fine sheen of sweat and dust, her eyes squinting painfully at the light. Her emerald gaze fell on Riza and she gave a weak smile. Riza felt a slight whisper of guilt pass through the turmoil in her mind. She didn't want to see Gracia! She wanted Maes! Where was he? He wasn't in her arms! Gracia must have seen the fleeting panic in Riza's eyes because she smiled knowingly and croaked, "With Elysia."

Riza gave a releived smiled and tenderly hugged Gracia, trying to avoid her damaged arm. Roy gently led Gracia away towards the medics that had begun to gather at the site of the ruined station. He tried to act strong and comforting towards her but his eyes kept glancing back towards the small cavern as the few other survivors filtered out of it. What was she so desperate about? It obviously hadn't been Gracia otherwise she would have been more attentive. And who, or what, was with Elysia? That was surely the source of Riza's panic. He was still a little unsettled by her actions. It had to be something pretty important for Riza to get so worked up. He finally got Gracia handed to some medics and stayed with her out of duty to find out what was wrong and to comfort her while the medic checked her arm.

Gracia glanced at him and stated, "go Roy."

He looked at her, "pardon?"

"You're figiting and it's making me nervous. You want to see Riza, don't you?" There was no venom or spite in her voice. She merely stated what she had observed through Roy's actions next to the ambulance while she was attended to by the kind medic.

Roy opened his mouth to protest, he wasn't about to leave Gracia by herself to deal with her injuries without a friend...on the other hand he was desperate to check Riza was aright. He wanted to pull her into him tight and whisper his apologies and reassurances. Since the first moment he'd seen her he'd wanted to feel her soft lips against his again, this thought enticing lustful memories of their passionate night to creep into the fore front of his already cluttered mind. He shook himself free of this reverie and was about to reply to Gracia's statement when he was interrupted by a small, yet very familiar, squeal, "MUMMY!"

"Elysia, Honey!" Gracia smiled as her daughter bounded up to her and gave her mother a huge hug. Roy watched as his best friend's family interacted, happily reunited after Gracia was rushed to the ambulances. "Did Riza find you OK?" Gracia enquired.

Elysia nodded and snuggled closer to her mother. He little blue dress was ruined, all dusty and ripped after her short, yet terrifying, ordeal in the rubble. Elysia's eyes were clouded and weeping from exposure to the contaminated air of the collapsed construction and joy with being able to catch up with her mother. She'd watched as Roy had quickly led her away but had been unable to move because she'd been supporting a crying Maes. Her mother had become unable to hold the baby when her arm broke after the collapse. Elysia's arms were tired but she remained strong in the hope everything was going to be OK, the perpetual optimism she had no doubt inherited from her father. "Are you alright, Mummy?" she asked with worried and sad eyes.

"Yes, sweetie," Gracia said assuringly, running a and through Elysia's hair and kissing her forehead, "I'm not going anywhere but we may need to visit the hospital, OK?"

Elysia nodded and then her face lit up slightly as if she'd forgotten something, "Riza took Maes, Mummy. I hope that's OK, you told me not to leave him." Grace felt her stomach do a little somersault at the look that now descended on Roy Mustang's face. His eyes had locked on Elysia, the black depths becoming filled with a mixture of confusion and hurt. Surely Elysia knew and understood that her father was dead? Yet...what if someone had done something stupid in his absence? Was there anyone besides him who had felt that strongly about Maes and knew alchemy? Furthermore, why would Maes have gone with Riza and not his family? Assuming this was the same Maes and furthermore, why would Riza get that wound up about Maes Hughes? The two had never been particularly close...at least not from what he'd been told or seen.

His mind swam and he felt himself visibly paling as his mind worked at a thousand miles per hour to makes sense of what Elysia had just said. Gracia gave her daughter another reassuring smile, and nodded, trying to ignore Roy's face, "Yes, sweetie, that's fine."

"What does she mean Maes?" Roy spat out, his words coming out harsher and more desperate than he'd intended. Gracia and Elysia both looked at him, bewildered by his tone. Elysia visibly recoiled and cuddled closer to her mother.

Gracia smiled stood calmly and took Elysia's hand with her unharmed arm, "It's not our place, Roy. Talk to Riza."

Roy stood there with his chin on the floor, what did she mean _not her place_? Not her place for what? The behaviour reminded him very much of his men's behaviour towards him after the fight was over, _what is with everyone? _With Gracia now walking away from him and her arm clearly dealt with he turned desperately back to the chaos of the collapsed train station, his eye scanning for Riza's form. He needed to know she was alright. Her sudden out burst of frantic and panicked emotion had really frightened him, even though he fought to not show it outwardly. He also was desperate to know what was going on and what it had to do with Maes Hughes.

His gaze darted from figure to figure, scrutinising each one for the silhouette of Riza Hawkeye, one he knew so well. There were teams of men and women, removing rock and debris to free survivors and corpses alike. He watched as the line of blanketed bodies grew slowly next to the string of ambulance and he found himself thanking what ever deity there was that Gracia and Elysia had been fine and unharmed.

When his eye finally settled on Riza it widened. He stood rigid and only remained breathing through force of habit. She was stood on the road, clutching a bundle to her chest and quivering, unmistakably from tears. Around her were the powerful arms of a certain blonde second lieutenant and he found his gut twist and turn in jealousy and disgust. Riza was crying, _crying_, on the shoulder of Jean Havoc. That embrace was so comforting and loving that it left no doubt in his mind that there was more there than a working friendship. He was about to turn away when they broke apart revealing the bundle in her arms.

Two little limbs were caught up in Riza's shirt and around her neck, the small round head was swathed in a mop of characteristic mind-night black hair and the small wail emanating from it distinguished it unmistakably as a baby. The cogs began turning in Roy's head. His feet glued to the spot and his limbs pale from the blood that had now drained right to his core as realisation began to form in his thoughts. He thought of the night he'd shared with Riza before his transfer and the fact that the child looked over a year old, the shear panic in Riza's actions when she realised the station had collapsed, the child had jet black hair and it was clinging to Riza like she was their..._mother_.

His mouth went dry, the blood draining from his face and his heart beat sped up, "Oh fuck..." he mumbled.

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**It's a medical proven fact that reviews heal colds... ;P **


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or it's characters.**

**A huige thanks to all my reviewers, story alerts and favourites, it really does mean so very very much! Sorry, this chapter is a little shorter but it just felt like a natural place to end it! Plus I thought if I leave posting it any longer mebh might maime me ... lol Next chapter should be up over the weekend though so not a very long wait!  
**

**ENJOY! :D**

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Riza gripped Maes so hard she wasn't sure if he was crying from the trauma of the situation or the fact his mother was holding him so hard against her quaking chest. She stumbled through the rubble, unsure of where she was going or what she was doing just happy to have her precious little boy in her arms.

"Riza?"

She lifted her tear streaked and dirt stained face to see Havoc standing in front of her among the carnage of Central station. She paused and then a broken sob escaped her lips, "He's alright, Jean...Maes is OK."

Havoc got to her just as her legs caved and another wave of tears threatened to burst free of her tired eyes. He pulled her against his chest tightly and wrapped his arms around her. He was comforting yet supportive at the same time. Quietly allowing Riza to sob in relief and Maes to calm his wails and twist his little fists in her dirty black shirt. After a few moments, he pulled back and smiled comfortingly at her, "Come on, I'll drive you home."

He guided Riza towards the car he'd brought. She was taking deep breaths and with every step she took he saw a little more of Hawkeye return to her scarily gaunt and panicked demeanour. They stepped over the twisted steel and broken cement until they reached the car, Jean opened the door as mother and child eased down into the leather seat. As he walked around the back of the leather military issue vehicle his eye caught movement across the broken limbs of the station.

Roy strode towards the car. He was desperate to know. He needed to confirm his suspicions. Had Riza had a child whilst he'd been away? Was it his? Why was Havoc holding her so tenderly? ... _Why hadn't she told him?_

Riza was still only a lieutenant in the military so she didn't have a lot of money. He knew she had some savings from her inheritance when her father died but it wasn't much. How was she raising a child alone? Trying to juggle a job, a house, a baby and a small salary? He could have helped. He felt his stomach fall in anger. He had plenty of money just sitting there, money he'd earned but not used because he had been so consumed with saving the country or sat in a small outpost where the chance to spend it appeared very rarely. More importantly, he could have helped her emotionally and physically. He would have stood by her.

Then something else hit him and it made his blood boil. His pace quickened in an attempt to reach the car and Havoc faster. _If_ the child in her arms was his then they would already be over a year old. Riza had denied him the first year of his son or daughter's life. She'd purposefully kept him away by not sending word she was pregnant. He'd missed his own child's birth.

Havoc saw him and quickly got into the drivers seat. He knew he was going to pay later for not waiting for Mustang to catch up but Riza didn't need this. She didn't need to deal with Mustang right now. She needed food, a bath and to cradle her son to reassure herself he wasn't dead. He quickly sped away, glancing momentarily in the rear view mirror at Mustang's fuming face and his piercing glare as he watched the car move away quicker than he could walk.

"He knows, doesn't he?" Riza asked quietly, not taking her eyes off Maes. Havoc was shocked that she'd noticed but she was the best eye in the military and it was no surprise that she would be on her highest guard now while she felt so vulnerable about her son.

Havoc swallowed, "I think he may have figured something out."

Riza sighed heavily and shifted Maes in her arms to press a kiss to his forehead, "We're going to be fine," she whispered to the little boy and then fixed her tired amber eyes on the road.

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Havoc finished stirring the mug of hot tea before taking it through to the living room. They had arrived home about an hour ago and Riza had crashed. She had bathed with Maes while he prepared some food and she was now curled up the sofa with him sleeping snuggly in her embrace. Her hair kept slipping off her head and resting on the arm of the couch where her head lay and the warm quilt that normally adorned the back of the deep red soft furnishing was now embracing mother and child.

Havoc smiled and carried the dark coloured liquid towards Riza. She glanced up at him with tired and drained eyes, giving a weak smile at his kindness, "Thank you, Jean. You don't have to stay you know...we'll be fine now."

"I know, I think I may head off in a bit. I just wanted to be certain you and Maes would be OK...you've been through a lot today."

Riza sipped the tea and then turned her gaze back towards him, "so have you. What happened today wasn't easy on anyone and there are still a lot of unanswered questions."

Havoc fell silent and averted his gaze. She knew what question he was thinking about in particular but she wasn't willing to deal with that right now. She just needed to be safely in her home with her son and Hayate, who was curled up at her feet on the couch.

After a pause that left a gaping void between the two friends, Riza finally moved achingly off the sofa, "I'm going to put Maes in his cot. He'll sleep better there." Havoc just nodded and then turned towards the front door. She watched him walk out of the living room and into the hallway, pulling his coat on and picking up the car keys.

He turned back to where she stood quietly in the hallway, gazing down at Maes' peaceful face caringly, "If you need anything..."

Riza just looked up at him and smiled kindly, "I know, Jean. You've been great and I hope I'll see you again soon but under better circumstances." Havoc nodded before Riza added, "Maes likes you, I can tell. Maybe we should go to the park next week or something?" Hayate gave a soft whimper in agreement, liking the sound of the park and a good run around.

Jean looked at Riza, "You're going to have to talk to him, Riza."

She almost visibly flinched at his words. It wasn't that she was trying to be ignorant of the situation, it was just she didn't want to think about Roy right now. She'd gotten used to her peaceful little life with her son. Meeting Havoc and the others at the park in the afternoons, tea with Gracia and Elysia and the peaceful silence that engulfed the house after Maes was fast asleep in bed. Roy would ruin all of it. He'd want to step up as Maes' father, which meant he'd want to move in, start a relationship with her, give her money and support. Most single mothers would be dancing for joy but Riza liked her independence and the way she ran her little family. Not to mention she didn't want to explain to Roy why she'd never told him about Maes.

Havoc left as Riza walked up to Maes' room. No more being said on the subject.

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Roy had turned onto Riza's street. She'd moved since he'd last been to her house and it suddenly made sense why she'd given up her flat in the middle of Central for a small two bedroom house with a garden further out. She had a child to think about. _His child_.

He was sure of it now. With the blood hammering in his ears from the exertion of running here, he had made up his mind that the child she'd carried so closely off the station site was his child and he was sure it was a boy. It suddenly made more sense why Elysia had said Maes had gone with Riza. She'd had his son and called him Maes. The emotions running through his blood were conflicting to say the least. He felt overwhelming shame at having not been there for his son, to put him to bed at night and cradle him when he cried. Instead he'd been hiding in a frozen wasteland pondering his own uselessness. At the same time he was so proud of such a strong looking little boy and proud of Riza for creating him, yet with those thoughts came abject anger. His blood boiled when he thought of Riza not having told him about 'Maes'. He would have stayed, or come back, instantly. She shouldn't have tried to do this alone and besides, he'd had a right to know he was a father and Maes had a right to know him.

He marched down the small manicured front gardens with their square cut hedges and slate garden paths. He saw a black military car pulled up outside one with a bottle green door. Havoc was making his way down the garden path and was pulling the keys through his fingers looking for the ignition key. Roy's anger flared into a new life as he watched Havoc leave, what he assumed was Riza's house. Why was Havoc there so late? He wouldn't think of that right now. This was about his possible son.

Havoc's eyes casually glanced around the peaceful street and then settled on Roy, "H-hey Chief?" he stammered, "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think?" snarled Roy. Moving to walk past Havoc and to Riza's door.

Havoc reached out and gripped his arm, "Chief, maybe ano-" He never got to finish the sentence because Roy's fist connected with his jaw and he was soon sent reeling to the floor. He gasped, gripped his jaw line and looked up at Roy who was staring at him with contempt in his eyes.

"Don't." Was all Roy said before striding to the door and bringing his fist down hard and heavy.

The bang of each hit rang through the small house to where Riza was lying Maes down in his cot. She glanced towards the door to the nursery and her brow furrowed. Maes wasn't disturbed by the noise but that wouldn't last long if the noise didn't stop. Havoc had just left and he certainly wouldn't make such a racket if he'd forgotten something, he was to scared of the consequences of waking Maes. Riza tucked the blanket up around her sleeping son and then walked calmly down the stairs, pausing in the kitchen to pick up her hand gun.

She almost dropped the fire arm at the words that were shouted through her front door, "Open up, Riza! I know you're there!" It was definatly Roy's voice. Why was he here? Why now? She just wanted to curl up and go to sleep. She sucked in a deep breath and approached the door as if it would leap out and bite her at any second. Hayate sensed her unease and walked cautiously beside his master, top lip curled back and ready to strike.

Roy hammered his fist on the door again, causing it to quake in its frame before a pale Riza on the other side. She swallowed and placed the hand gun on the side table, reaching up for the latch. Before she pulled it back and allowed the door to swing open she said through the door, in a steadier voice than she was feeling, "I will open the door, Roy, if you calm down and take a step back."

There was a grumble on the other side and Riza took one last deep breath before she pulled the latch. The door creaked and then opened to reveal a tall and very dark looking Mustang. She noticed Havoc standing close behind him, his chain a beautiful shade of black and purple. She resisted the urge to visibly flinch at the evidence of Roy's assault.

Riza made eye contact with Havoc and she gave him a curt nod to symbolise she was going to be fine and he could leave. He hesitated, glancing at the angry man next to him, but then turned and walked back towards his car. When Havoc had gone she plucked up the courage to look back up at Roy's smouldering black eye.

He watched her critically, the emotions raging through him unchecked, his hands kept fisting and he had to resist the urge to clench his jaw at her. Nothing was said. Riza just stepped to the side and Roy marched into her house.


	10. Chapter 10

**The chapter you've all been waiting for is finally here...it's taken FOREVER to write this scene because it is so hard and I had to rewrite it several times. Hope it lives up to all your expectations and doesn't disappoint...:S**

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Roy walked into the hallway. Last time he'd been into Riza's home it had been completely orderly, there were catalogued books on the shelves, antique guns and celebratory gifts from the military on her mantle. There had been landscape paintings and a certain cosiness to the flat but no photographs of family members or sentimental items. Now the flat was painted in warm hues and there seemed to be a plethora of items sprawled everywhere. Riza rushed around him and gathered up a blanket, two rattle toys and an empty bottle. She went over and cleared some space on the sofa and told Hayate to go to his bed. The dog glanced at Roy before trotting out of the room.

Riza turned back to Roy with the bundle in her arms, her eyes made contact with his fathomable black one and she muttered, "can I get you a drink?"

"No." he answered shortly remaining stiffly in the centre of her burgundy living room.

"Well then may-"

"Maes," he interjected, watching her, "I want to talk about Maes."

She froze like a rabbit in the head lights and looked at him, "How did you-"

"Elysia," he said shortly. Still watching her.

Riza turned away from him and folded the blanket in her arms, placing it on the sofa and then dropping the two toys unceremoniously into the pay pen in the living room.

"Is Maes my son?" he asked in a softer tone whilst watching her distract herself by tidying items away.

"Yes...you only have to look at him to know he's yours, Roy."

"Why?" he said, again in a softer voice. He was still angry but he also felt responsible for what had happened. Keeping a secret like this wasn't something his lieutenant would do lightly and he didn't feel like getting into a raging argument with her over this...his son was at stake.

It was Riza's turn to get angry. Her stance stiffened and she turned to face him, "Why?" she hissed a low voice, "Why didn't I ever tell you about Maes? Well let me answer that with another question, why did you leave without talking to me? I thought...I..." she trailed off, trying to regain her emotions. She was tired from the battering her emotions had taken that day but she wasn't about to let Roy see her cry. "Why, after everything I did for you, did you leave? Holding you when you cried about Ishbal, Maes senior and Edward. Nursing you back to health, cleaning your house, answering doctors calls, cutting your sodding apples! We even made love. Three times! And then I find out, from Falman of all people, that you transferred and were leaving immediately!

"I ran to the station with every intention of telling you. I even watched you get on the train and then it dawned on me." Riza's demeanour grew cold as she watched the torture on his face, "You were leaving after everything. If after everything you still had the audacity to get up and leave without so much as a backward glance then why did you deserve to know? I wasn't enough before so why would I be enough now to make you stay? What kind of example would you set in your depressed and self-deprecating state?"

Roy flinched at her words but looked back at her with a steely expression, "I'm sorry Riza...I thought you deserv-"

"Shut up!" she yelled, "Just shut up! I'm a grown woman! I'm old enough and smart enough to decide what I deserve and I thought I deserved _you_. I'm a murderer to, remember? I needed you as much as you needed me. No one understood me like you did! Damn it, Roy! I loved you and you practically threw it in my face!" Riza took a deep breath, letting her words sink into the stunned Roy Mustang stood in her living room. She looked back up at him feeling slightly relieved that she'd finally been able to say the things she'd kept locked at the back of her mind, "I loved you and you turned your back on me. You could have talked to me, Roy, but you didn't...you ran away. That's why I never told you."

Roy stood motionless, he swallowed, trying desperately to regain his previous composure. He'd been so determined and angry before but now it had all crumbled away. It had been taken down brick by brick like only Riza Hawkeye could, her words had settled deep. He was depressed and struggling with his actions over the last few years, maybe she had a point about him being a bad role model or a pathetic partner if he couldn't even look at himself in the mirror.

His gaze drifted back around the room and his eye settled on a photo of Riza smiling, she was sat cross legged on the grass, her loyal dog poking his head over her shoulder and his tongue lolling playfully out of his mouth. In Riza's arms was a beautiful boy with a large head of black hair and piercing hazel eyes like the woman that held him. He was smirking at the camera and his head was tipped awkwardly as Riza cuddled him. There were a couple of other pictures next to this one. He let his eye trail over each of them. Maes and Elysia both covered in ice cream and looking innocent, Maes with Black Hayate, and one of Riza pregnant next to Havoc and Breda. His stomach dropped as he saw one of Havoc holding Maes over a muffin with a single long blue candle in it and Riza holding a birthday hat over Maes' head. They looked like a family. Mother, child and...father. Jean Havoc had been more of a father and a support to Riza than he'd ever been.

"I've missed so much," he whispered hoarsely. He wandered over to the table with the photographs on and looked at each of them closely. "I have so many questions and ...regrets."

Riza let out a long sigh, "I'll answer any questions you have, Roy...but one thing first." Roy looked at her before she continued, "How long are you in Central for?"

Roy made eye contact with her and walked over to her. He wanted to know his son, he'd grown up without a father and he'd be damned if the same was going to happen to his son. He desperately wanted to be apart of the little family he'd never known about. He was willing to do anything, he'd hand over his savings, see a psychiatrist, leave the military...anything! As long as it meant being near the two most precious things in the world...Riza and his son.

"Forever, I'm not going anywhere...I want to know Maes and I want to be with you and help raise him. We'll be a proper and normal family." The look of hope in his eyes nearly shattered Riza's heart. She couldn't do this. She was happy for him to know Maes and be his father, Maes deserved that much, but she wasn't sure she could forgive him and fall straight back into his arms so easily. Once bitten twice as shy...so the saying goes.

Riza looked away and shook her head, "No," she said, "Not a 'proper' family."

Roy looked bewilderedly at her, "W-what do you mean?"

"Maes deserves his father...you deserve Maes. I'm not going to stop that...if you want to file for joint custody then I will not oppose it..in fact it would be a blessing to have you around to help but...but I can't be with you."

"Why not! Riza please, I love you, I'm sorry I ran away but I'm here now," seeing that he was losing her he resorted to pleading, "I'll get help, see a doctor about my mental scars...I'll buy you a bigger house..."

Riza suddenly felt extremely claustrophobic, she was caught and hemmed in. The room felt oppressive with all the emotions, Roy's closeness and the suddenly shock of his love declaration. She suddenly pushed passed him and into the hallway, where he hesitantly followed. She massaged her temples and gave herself a strong talking to so as not to cry in front of him. "No, Roy!" she began, "I can't...I gave you everything before and you broke my heart I can't just forgive and forget...I'm...I'm..." _scared_. She couldn't bring herself to confess it. She was scared of what letting him totally back into her life again would mean. He still had a lot of mental demons to cope with, could she really deal with those and raising a baby? Post traumatic stress wasn't something to be taken lightly, several of her colleagues at work had seen their families ripped apart my the disorder and she wasn't prepared to expose her innocent little family to it lightly.

She loved Roy, honest to god she did but...she didn't want to be hurt again. She was only just coming to terms with his original betrayal. She was beginning to move and get over him, how dare he waltz back in.

As if reading exactly what the problem was, Roy stepped closer and gently touched her shoulder, in a quiet voice, as if consoling a grieving woman he said, "Alright, maybe rushing into a relationship again is going to be difficult, so lets deal with the most important issue here, Maes. I want to be his father. So I'll move closer to the suburbs of Central, I'm sure we can come up with a timetable that suits both our needs and caters to his best interests...there's no reason why we still can't be a team in raising our son."

Riza looked up at him, she couldn't believe what he was offering. He was backing away from her, he was letting her go and make the decision about whether or not they pursued a relationship outside their responsibility with Maes. The words he'd used insinuated that he indeed meant to bring it up again once they'd gotten back to normality, but she was OK with that, as long as she didn't have to deal with it now.

"Yes," she finally said, "That would work." Roy relaxed and let his hand fall to his side. There was still a sadness in his eyes, he was desperate to take her in his arms. He had missed her so much, more than he could ever verbalise. They held eye contact for a moment, Roy couldn't hold himself back anymore he leant forward to take her in his arms. He had every intention of brining her closely into his chest and burying his face in her delightful hair. He just desperately needed her in his arms after almost two years without her voice, touch or face.

Riza saw him move towards her and she found herself powerless to stop herself. She wanted to be in his arms as much as he seemed to need her, even though she didn't want a relationship with him right now. Just as Roy was about to pull her into the safety and strength of his embrace a shrill cry sliced through the air. Both adults paused and stared at each other in shock before they registered the baby's wail.

Riza glanced up the stairs and began to move towards them when Roy gently caught her upper arm. She looked back at him, the shock evident of her face. "Take me with you," he asked pitifully, "I want to see him." She nodded and led him up the stairs.

They crossed the pastel blue hallway and approached a door that was slightly a jar and from where the wail was emanating from. Riza pushed it open to reveal a little yellow room that glittered golden in the dim light of the night lamp. She walked over to a white wooden cot and leaned in cooing and talking softly as the crying quietened. She lifted up the boy and placed him on her hip, her back bowing slightly with the added weight and trying to support the child.

Roy watched transfixed by the sight before him, the woman he loved and his son. A knot appeared in his stomach as he got closer to meeting his son, Maes. Riza jiggled on the spot for a moment, trying to calm the little boy down, before she turned so Roy could see him better. Maes' big hazel eyes fell on Roy and he fell instantly silent, eyes as large as saucers. He wasn't sure what to make of the strange dark haired man in his room. His little red puffy cheeks calmed slightly now he was in his mother's arms and his little hands fisted in her pyjama top.

Roy cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable under the painful scrutinisation of his son, "hi...Maes..."

Riza couldn't help but let a small grin cross her face at Roy's awkwardness and her son's persistent stare, "here," she said and came close to Roy. She moved the child off of her hip and held him in mid air towards Roy, who stared blankly at her. She rolled her eyes, "Take Maes, Roy."

Roy blinked and lifted his hands, placing them just below where Riza's were on Maes' body. Riza let go and watched as father suspended son at arm's length in front of him in a state of shock. Maes continued to stare at his father until the position got uncomfortable a few moments later and began to wail again. A moment of panic set in on Roy's face, what was he meant to do with a screaming child?

Riza moved his arms and Maes so that he sat against his hip and side. Maes continued to stare up at his father with renewed curiosity. He began to wobbled slightly in Roy's arms, his eyes darting around the room, his eyes settled on his mother and for the first time he seemed to notice that he wasn't in Riza's arms but a strangers. He burst into tears again, his little arms and fat fingers reaching for her.

Riza walked over to him and stroked his hair, cooing softly, "It's OK, Maes sweet heart. It's just Roy...it's Daddy?" She gently kissed his forehead and Maes seemed to calm down. Riza glanced at Roy, "He's tired, that's why he might be a little irritable." Roy nodded and gently bounced Maes, trying to make him comfortable and happy.

Maes' gaze rested back on Roy and he placed his thumb in his mouth as he continued to gaze at Roy's face. Riza watched as Roy's eye slowly teared up. The tears didn't fall but as Roy watched his son, Maes, he felt a sense of overwhelming happiness and pride. Maes, having obviously decided that Roy was a friend and not foe, laid his head down on Roy's shoulder, still suckling his thumb, and let his heavy eye lids slide shut.

Riza let out a small chuckle at the startled look on Roy's face as the child fell fast asleep, "That's a good sign, he's obviously comfortable with you." She led Roy over to the arm chair next to the crib and he sat down, still cradling Maes in his arms. Roy watched Maes awestruck and rocked quietly in the chair. He looked up at Riza, who was smiling down at them, her eyes going moist at the scene. He noticed the soft glow of the night light lying on her hair and moonlight from the window complimented her complexion, "You look beautiful," he murmured to her.

Riza's face faltered and she looked away, "Please don't, Roy..."

Roy swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, redirecting his attention back to Maes. Riza sat on the floor next to the chair and smiled up at Maes, her gaze then went back to Roy, "So where do you think you'll live?" she asked quietly.

Roy had to hide the flinch, he really wanted to live here with his little family but Riza had made it clear she didn't want to be with him...maybe he could change that. Once she'd gotten used to him being around and things with Maes had settled. Maes was what was important right now.

The pair of them sat in Maes room, with Maes silently sleeping in Roy's arms, discussing the up and coming tactics for their new life with Maes. Roy agreed to find an apartment near-by and they would file so Roy could have joint custody of Maes. Riza agreed that Roy could have Maes every Wednesday night and although Roy would officially have him every other weekend, they agreed to spend most weekends with him together. They wanted things to be as close to a normal family as possible while he was too young to understand the separation.

After awhile Riza fell asleep on the floor, the exhaustion from the day finally catching up with her, her head resting on Roy's knee and one of Maes' blankets as a pillow. It left Roy alone with his thoughts and he looked around the small house and then back at his son and Riza. The situation really dawned on him then. Everything had been so busy and frantic up until no, with the silence enveloping him, he was a father. It wasn't about him any more, he had a beautiful little boy. He smiled softly at Maes, with his eye's closed he looked just like him.

He suddenly went cold as a thought dawned on him. Jean Havoc. The man was meant to be one of his closest subordinates and friends yet he had failed to mention in all the communication they'd had that Riza was pregnant. He could understand that Riza had probably threatened him but apart of Roy couldn't help but feel, from the way he'd seen Havoc hold Riza and his presence in the photographs, that Havoc had ulterior motives for not telling him. Roy's face darkened, Havoc would have to be dealt with. Now he was back, Jean Havoc's presence was no longer needed, or _wanted_, as far as he was concerned.

Roy He loved them both so much and he wanted them to be his whole family. Not some broken resemblance to a family that had been caused by his absence, he admitted that he wanted what Maes senior had had with Gracia and Elysia. _I'm not giving up,_ he thought,_ I want to be a family with you_. He leant his head back and kissed Maes' forehead and let a small smirk cross his lips as he saw Maes gurgle in his sleep, _oh yes, you're definitely a Mustang..._

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**Reviews are greatly apprieciated...:D**


	11. Chapter 11

**Dicslaimer:I don't own FMA.**

**An ENORMOUS thank you to everyone who has kept me going through this fic...all the reviews, faves and alerts, it honestly does mean so very much!**

**I'm sorry for the latness of this update but I have left the familiar shores of the UK and I'm currently travelling in the USA! so I don't have a lot of time to write but I will try to be quick as possible :D**

**ENJOY! and review if you have time...**

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Jean paused on the door step. He'd barely slept all night. His head was pounding and he had large bags under his eyes. All he could think about was Roy's expression and the way he'd acted before disappearing into the house the previous night. He touched his purple jaw tenderly at the memory and the familiar cold sinking feeling settled in his stomach...he hoped to God that Riza and Maes were alright, if Roy had hurt them in any way...

His hand lifted and brought the metal knocker down hard three times before waiting for someone to answer. To his relief, Riza pulled the bottle green door back and offered him a small smile, "Hi Jean," she said softly.

"Morning, I came to check you were OK," he said, suddenly feeling very sheepish. He lifted a brown paper bag he'd been carrying in his free hand rather awkwardly, adding, "I brought croissants."

Riza smiled again and stepped aside to let him in, her hair had been roughly brushed and pushed back into a pony tail and she had on an old military academy t-shirt with a scruffy pair of trousers. She took the bag from him and walked into the kitchen, proceeding to lay the buttery pastries out on a try and place them in the oven to heat. Jean watched her closely, looking for any signs of unease or nervousness.

When she finally turned and offered him an awkward smile he felt a wave of relief pass through him, she was obviously OK but then it occurred to him...where was Roy and Maes? Riza must have seen the look of slight puzzlement pass across his features and she offered him another smile, "They're upstairs...Roy can't take his eyes off of him. He's been sat with him pretty much all night and Maes seem to like having him there."

Jean nodded numbly and shifted awkwardly on his feet. Eventually he lifted his head and whispered, "Are we going to tell him?"

Riza glanced back at him as she checked the croissants in the oven, "Tell him what, Jean?"

"You know what I'm talking about, Riza. Are you going to tell him about 'us'?" He took a step forward and placed a hand on the back of the cream dining chair. Riza found his motion fascinating and seemed to stare intently at his hand gripping the pale painted wood.

"There's nothing to say," she said finally, looking up to meet his eyes. Their gazes met and they held it, both calculating and trying to decipher how the other was interpreting the situation.

"Fine," he practically bit out, "if that's how you see it. It's good to know that he just has to waltz in here and everything goes back to being 'normal'. Honestly, Riza, I thought you had more back bone."

"JEAN!" She hissed back at him, "You've been a huge help to me over the last two years, I honestly couldn't have done so well without your help, support and friendship...but that's all it is...friendship. I'm sorry if I led you on or you thought there may be more but you should have known...I can't..."she stopped and diverted her gaze, going back to the oven with a red baking oven mit to extract the steaming croissants.

Havoc scrutinized her every move and found the whites of his knuckles begin to match the colour of the cream chair it was gripping. Riza turned to face him, and everything isn't 'normal', as you put it. Roy and I are not together. We've discussed our situation and feelings. He is entitled to be Maes' father," she set her piercing gaze on him, "despite how you may feel about Maes, Roy is his father and has agreed to act as such. Seriously Jean, you have to see how they are together, I've never seen Maes bond so quickly with anyone and this will be good for Roy...he finally has a reason to turn himself around."

"So after everything he's done he ca-" Jean's rebuttal was cut short as a pale faced Roy marched into the kitchen, he opened his mouth to tell Riza something but instead his eyes made contact with Havoc's and the two men straightened, gazes locked and both were enveloped in steely silence. Riza glanced between them uneasily and she placed the plate of pastries on the table in the hopes it would divert their attention. Her wish was not fulfilled.

The Kitchen remained locked the the grips of icy silence until a after a few moment's Riza's sharp hearing locked onto the soft wail of her son, she was suddenly torn between thanking her son for his good grace to offer her a reason to leave the situation and terror at the thought of what might happen or be said in her absence. She reasoned that she couldn't leave Maes crying in his cradle so quietly excused herself and slipped out of the room,hastily moving up the hallway stair case.

Roy was the first to break the intolerable tension between them, "you never told me."

"She made me promise not to," Jean replied curtly.

"Convenient," Roy's voice dripped with malice, "so you were free to play happy families."

"It wasn't like that, She needed some one to help her and support her," Havoc let the next few words sit in the void between them, "_someone_ had to be here for her."

Roy opened his mouth to reply with a string of profanities and comments on loyalty and friendship when Riza re-entered the room carrying a squirming Maes. The little boy wriggled relentlessly in her arms until his eyes fell on Havoc, he then squealed with joy and flung himself towards Havoc with such enthusiasm Riza almost dropped him. Havoc grinned, feeling a sense of triumph at having the little guy squeal for him and not Roy, who sat seething at the kitchen table as he watched them, shovelling a croissant into his mouth.

Riza glanced between Roy and Havoc and then back at Roy. Shed had enough of this already and it looking like it had only just begun. She sighed and decided to take a stand on the situation. She walked over to where Havoc was tossing Maes and took the little boy back with a little more force than she had intended. She had to repress the urge to chuckle at the identicle expressions of confusion now worn by all three boys in the room. She clung Maes up onto her hip and pointed at Roy, "You," she began, "go and sort things out at headquarters and then start looking for that new flat you promised. You," she turned her finger and gaze on Havoc, "go and help the clean up in Central and collect the paperwork from our office, I'm sure the General has a lot to catch up on." She then turned to Hayate, "You, are coming walkies with me and Maes."

The dog barked happily in agreement and Maes gurgled something along the lines of, 'I like the idea of a walk with Hayate, Mum.' The dog scrambled off and Riza turned to find both men begrudgingly collect their belongings and a croissant for the road. She grinned to herself and then proceeded upstairs to dress and change Maes before they embarked for the park.

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To Riza's surprise, Roy has managed to find a small house near her neighbourhood within a month. It wasn't as big as her house and didn't have a garden, even though she knew he earned a lot more, she had a sinking suspicion that it was because he didn't intend to live there for very long. He'd managed to move most of his items out of storage and she'd brought Maes over the weekend he moved in. Maes had been fascinated by all the boxes and buzz of people moving around. Gracia, Elysia, Fuery, Falman and Breda had all helped him move his items in and around. Gracia brought a plethora of shopping bags, knowing Roy's destructive behaviour sometimes meant he forgot to shop properly.

Maes sat on his little multi-coloured mat in the living room and gurgled at passers by, desperately enquiring in his little creative tongue as to what everyone was doing. Hayate sat loyally beside him, barking every time Maes began to crawl off of his mat or began to smell suspicious. The pair had become inseparable since Maes had started to become more mobile and Riza welcomed the help of her canine friend in keeping an eye on her monkey of a son.

Hayate had started to bark again and Riza sighed from her place in Roy's kitchen, where she had been unwrapping his pots and pans from their storage boxes. She crossed the hallway and through the double doors that led into the large white magnolia room that would one day, when boxes and furniture were organised, be Roy's living room. Maes can crawled from his mat and had pulled himself up against one of the large boxes, proceeding to peek over the side to glimpse at the treasures within.

"Maes Berthold Hawkeye," she sighed, "what am I going to do with you?" At the sound of his mother's tired and exasperated voice, Maes turned his large hazel eyes on her and gave a small cheeky smirk before losing his balance and plopping down on his nappy clad bottom.

Maes gurgled something incoherent again as Riza bent to pick him up, as soon as the small bundle was balance on her hip she scrunched her once. Hayate slinked backwards, recoiling from the waft that had emanated from he baby in her arms. Riza knelt on the living room floor and sat Maes firmly on his mat. She then reached across looked around the room, _damn I left the bag on the back of the pram._

Riza let another sigh escape her lips but just before she could pull herself to her feet she saw a shadow cross the hallway in her peripheral vision. She snapped her head around to catch Roy entering the hallway from his room, where he, Breda and Falman and been lifting furniture and boxes, and go to collect his keys for the car still downstairs. "Roy," she said loudly and firmly, a voice he knew better than to avoid.

Roy Mustang turned to look at the woman sat in the middle of his living room floor, apprehension trickling through his nerves, "could you pass me the green bag on the back of the pram? The one with all the baby stuff in it?"

Roy let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding and went to the pram that was parked up beside his front door. He bent down and retrieved the back pack from it's hanging place on the racing red handle bars and moved back to his living room. Riza smiled thankfully and took the bag, letting it drop down unceremoniously beside her, she yanked open the sipper and pulled out a roll up baby blue mat, a plastic bag, a nappy and some wet wipes. She rolled out the mat in front of her and then strategically placed the items around the mat. It looked as though she were setting up a model for their next invasion strategy.

Roy's head cock the one side as he watched her lift Maes and lay him on the mat. Maes instantly gurgled and grinned and gripped both his feet in his pudgy little hands. His head rolled back and his eyes met his father's with a look of unadulterated glee written on his features. Roy cleared his throat which made Riza glance up at him, "something wrong?" she asked.

"Are you going to change him?" he asked tentatively.

Riza's eyebrow lifted questioningly, "yes," she stated matter-of-factly.

He rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand and walked closer to her, "can you...show me?"

Riza bit her lower lip, resisting the urge to laugh at the odd request and the look of fear that flickered across Mustang's dark features, "sure," she finally chirped and turned her attention back to their son, who by this point had begun to roll around on his mat in an attempt of escape.

In one fluid motion she whipped off the little blue denim jeans he's been wearing with his red striped top. She folded them in half and laid them beside the wet wipes on her right. She then peeled back both bits of tape on either side of the nappy with a little force, they released the sodden bundle of cloth and tape on to the mat. Then with skilled and practised hands, Riza gripped her son's ankles between her middle and ring fingers and thumb, hoiking the little boy onto his shoulder blades, causing him to giggle and clap his hands. She whipped the nappy out and ripped a wet wipe from the packet with her free right hand. She efficiently mopped up the mess and then twirled the used nappy and wet wipe together into a neat bundle and deposited them into the plastic bag. Within seconds Maes had a fresh nappy, his trousers back on and an even wider grin to show his new found pleasure at the clean underwear.

Roy sat dumbfounded. "Did you get that?" Riza asked him, standing up with the plastic bag and taking it over to the bin. She waked her hands and turned back to the living room, noticing how Roy still sat trying to recall what he'd just watched. Meas had already crawled off of his mat and was how trying to climb into Roy's lap. Roy allowed him up and wrapped his arms protectively around him while Riza began placing the items back into her green sack.

"So I..."

"Trousers off, nappy off, wipe up, place in plastic bag, new nappy, trousers, bin, wash hands...it's really not hard, Roy."

There was a chuckle from behind them and both adults turned towards the doorway, Gracia stood in the doorway watching the whole scene, "His face is identical to the one Maes senior pulled when I showed him how to change Elysia for the first time." She walked into the room and sat on one of the arm chairs that had been haphazardly placed to the side of the room, "you'll get it soon enough, Roy. Riza's just had more practise."

She saw Roy face sour slightly at the comment about Riza having more practise and Gracia instantly regretted her choice of words. Riza placed the green bag back on the pram in the hallway and sat on the arm of the chair Gracia was sat in, her eyes gazing at the sight of Roy and Maes both sat on the carpet, Maes seemed to be infatuated with Roy's bigger hand.

Gracia's face suddenly lit up, "I have an idea!" She stood from the chair so that she could face both adults, both of whom wore expressions some where between curiosity and dread, "Riza's barely had a break from Maes, our little group of you, me and Maria haven't gotten together in months, and Roy desperately needs some time with Maes to practise and learn some basic parenting skills, not to mention bond with his son."

Riza's face darkened, "What are you getting at, Gracia?"

Gracia cleared her throat, "What I'm saying is this Friday night you're going to come out and have dinner at a nice restaurant with your friends and possibly go dancing and Roy is going to care for Maes all Friday afternoon and evening...alone."

Roy grinned, "sounds like a great idea!"

Riza's eyes had widened, "But...but...no!"

"Why not?" Gracia and Roy asked in union.

"Because..."

"Riza," Roy started, standing up with his son in his arms, "Maes and I will be fine...as Gracia said, I need some time to bond with him as his father and to learn to be his father and I can't do that with you breathing down my neck the whole time."

"But I only just showed you how to change a nappy!" she said incredulously.

"And as you said...It's not that difficult." Riza chewed her cheek from frustration at him using her own words against her. She glanced between the hopeful Gracia and the cocky Roy and sighed, "Fine..but I want to a restaurant nearby and if anything, ANYTHING, goes wrong you have to send for me immediately."

"Done," Gracia and Roy said in union again. Both wearing matching grins and causing Riza to question whether they were possibly related.

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**Oh the trouble I have in mind...HAHAHA...please review and thanks for reading :D**


	12. Chapter 12

HI! I'm so very sorry about how long this has taken but my life is just being dominated by my final year at university. This might mean that the udates you get will be shorted chapters but at least it's goiung to start being updated more often! Thanks to everyone who has been so supportful and reviewed, faved and alerted. I really apprieciate it all! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or the characters but I do own Maes Hawkeye and the plot :)

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Riza couldn't keep herself still. She was sat in a nice Xing restaurant in down town central in a smart red cocktail dress. Maria was nattering on about her up coming date with Denny and Gracia sat happily listening with a florescent coloured cocktail happily sat in her hands. Riza shifted her legs across again twisted her fingers, her eyes darting to the street outside, expecting someone to run in any moment to say that Maes was in danger. Why had she agreed to this? The last time she'd left Maes alone he'd screamed for her and then a station collapsed on top of him. She shuddered just remembering the awful day she thought she'd lost him, it was an experience she was not willing to repeat. Ever.

Though he'd seemed happy enough when she'd left him. Riza had written out a full three page list of all his needs and preferences for Roy. Everything from nappy changing instructions and fixing a bottle to the song he liked to listen to before bed and what to do if he wouldn't stop crying. Roy had taken the sheets callously, a cocky grin painted across his features as he balance the baby bag on one arm and Maes off the other. He was to smug. It wasn't that easy. _Oh lord, let everything be ok..._

It was only now that Riza noticed both women had fallen silent and were watching her. _Shit_. Riza tried to brush it off and give them a _relaxed_ grin whilst she sipped her white wine. Gracia placed the cocktail down and looked at her squarely, 'He's fine.' She said matter-of-factly, 'You've got to start trusting Roy, Riza. He's Maes father and he's going to want to start taking care of him, not to mention that it now means you get more time to yourself.'

Riza sighed and rubbed her forehead, 'I know. I'm trying, I've just never really left him alone without me of Hayate for an extended period of time,' Riza's eyes connected with Gracia, 'and the last time I left him with someone Amestris was invaded.'

Gracia sighed and Maria decided to give her two penny's worth ,'Well, that's ot going to happen tonight Riza. I bet Maes and Roy are having a wonderful time on their own, doing father and son stuff, and imagine how wonderful it'll be when you show up to pick Maes up and you're proved Mustang wrong.'

Riza and Gracia both raised their eyebrows and looked at the younger women, 'wrong?' They both chimed.

Maria got a little cheeky grin, 'I bet he won't be smirking once he realises how much mischief little Maes can get into.' All three women chuckled and took another sip of their drinks.

'Besides, there's something I wanted to talk to you about,' said Gracia, her mouth quirking up at the side as she toyed with her cocktail straw. Her eyes lifted and glanced between Riza and Maria, 'I want to tell you about this person I'm dating.'

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Roy and Maes watched each other. Maes sat on the sofa, his big doe eyes fixed on his father who was sat on the opposite chair watching him curiously. Maes gurgled and grabbed his feet in his hands, letting the red fabric of his socks squish between his fingers. He rocked slightly, making another gurgling and then spoke to Roy in his incoherent mesh of noises that made up his baby language.

Roy was scared. He watched the child rock back and forth on his sofa and felt a deep seated feeling of dread. He was totally responsible for the well being the of the child sat across from him. No excuses if anything happened to his son, not to mention the consequences of dealing with Riza if something happened to him. Roy resisted the urge to let out a groan and he rubbed his hands across his face in the hopes of relieving some tension. How hard could this really be? All he had to do was make sure the child was fed, washed and asleep at not to late an hour. I's not like Maes could throw a tantrum and run away, the kid could barely walk or talk back!

That was when the smell hit his nostril. Roy looked up at the sofa to find Maes looking at him with big innocent eyes, his gurgled words seeing to try and deny the fact he's just filled his nappy. Roy sighed and got to his feet, 'right, I guess that means you'll need changing,' Maes's head cocked o the side as he watched his father's loathsome expression. Roy bent and picked Maes up under his arms, the boy dangled there, at arm's length, for a moment before he let out a little laugh and stretched his own little arms towards Roy. Roy smiled and brought him into his chest, 'You're a very happy little chap aren't you?'

Roy couldn't help but think of Maes senior while he walked over to the bag that Riza had given him. He'd be having a field day if he saw him now and to be honest he couldn't help contemplate the possibility of reincarnation, the baby defiantly seemed to have more of Maes's characteristics than his own, perhaps Riza had made a mistake with Maes's paternity.

Roy laid Maes down on a little blue spotty mat and the boy laughed and gripped his toes as he watched his father rout around in the bag for the necessary nappy changing equipment. Roy turned back to the mat and he yelped as he realised his son had rolled off the mat onto his tummy and was speedily making a bid for freedom. Roy dropped the wipes, nappy, bags and powder and promptly placed he squirming Maes back onto the mat. He then began to arrange the items around the mat as Riza had shown him.

He unclipped the clasps on Meas's dungarees and then pulled them off, flinging them unceremoniously to the side. He then peeled back the straps of the nappy, it slopped down onto the mat between his little legs and Roy gasped at the smell that emanated from the greeny-brown mess that sat in the sodden nappy. Roy must have pulled a silly face as Maes burst into a stream of happy giggles, his hands clapping together and his feet waving around. As Roy contemplated the best way of picking the nappy up and disposing of it without pouring faeces everywhere one of Maes's wandering feet smacked down into the mes and then flung back up, causing a sprinkling of small brown dots to appear across Roy's face.

Roy yelped and wiped his face let out a frustrated snarl at Maes. Maes paused in his joyful actions, his eyes going wide and watching his father before his face scrunched up and he let out a wail. Roy suddenly sat upright, 'Oh no, don't cry Maes, Daddy;s not angry.' Roy sighed and bit the bullet, rolling the nappy up and placing it into the plastic bag. It hadn't been as neat a job as Riza's little package but it did the job. He ran a wet wipe over Maes's backside and his face and then deposited that into the plastic bag before tying it tightly in a knot.

Roy walked into the kitchen and dropped the bag into the bin. He walked over to the sink and washed his hands thoroughly. He smiled to himself when he noticed that Maes's wailing had stopped, obviously he just need to dispose of the nappy. Roy's smirk soon faded though, he'd left his son on the mat in the living room, unattended, and now the wailing had stopped. He quickly shut the tap off and ran into the living room with his hands still dripping.

His heart clenched in his chest. Maes wasn't on the mat. _Oh for the love of.._.'Maes?' No answer. Roy walked around his living room but saw no little half naked baby sat around. He glanced hopefullyback at the changing mat in the off-chance he'd over looked Maes still sat there, but he wasn't, 'Come on Maes, this isn't funny,' Roy said to the empty room, he began to pace around the room, checking behind the chairs and the sofa. 'Daddy doesn't think this is funny, Maes!'

After half an hour of painful searching Roy was beginning to panic, should he phone the police? Maybe Maes had been kidnapped, but the door was locked and he saw no sign of forced entry, besides he would have heard someone trying to get in. He had even checked upstairs but he wasn't there wither and there was a very slim chance Maes had been able to climb the stair on his own. Roy marched into the hallway and picked up the phone. He needed some help, someone who knew Maes to help him find him. He thought of Gracia but she was with Riza. _Oh Lord! Riza couldn't find out about this!_

Roy begrudgingly began typing a number into the phone, his teeth gritted, this was the lesser of two evils he reasoned. He put the receiver to his ear and waited for the phone to be picked up on the other end. When the sleepy voice chimed in Roy bit out his sentence, 'Hi, it's Mustang,' he swallowed, 'I need your help.'


End file.
